Prospects Of The Visions
by Sarah G 70
Summary: The wedding is called off.  Xander's future self gives him new insight into his destiny if he marries the wrong girl. But does other woman feel the same? Season 6 & 7 rewritten. Buffy/Xander
1. Chapter 1 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 1**

Xander stood facing the mirror watching Buffy struggle with the clip of his cummerbund. "Is it too small?"

Buffy poked her head around Xander's arm. "Nah." She unconvincingly smiled.

"It fit when I picked up the tux. How could it not fit now?"

"It'll fit." Buffy pulled the two clips close together.

"Aw, man, what if it doesn't?" Xander stared at himself in the mirror. "What if I can't wear my cummerbund, and then the whole world can see the place where my pants meet my shirt? Buffy, that can not happen. I must wear das cummerbund!" Xander panicked.

"And so…. You…. Shall!" Buffy fastened the clips she removed her hands and smiled up at him triumphantly.

"Hey, you got it!" Xander turned to face her.

"Slayer strength." Buffy smiled again taking the bow-tie from around her neck and placed it around Xander's neck.

"And I've been meaning to cut back on that habit-forming oxygen."

"Look at you. You look great, Mr. About-To-Get-Married. Glowing." Buffy continued to tie his bow-tie. She abruptly stopped looking up at Xander. "Oh my god! Maybe you're pregnant!"

Xander couldn't hide his grin. "Maybe. I dunno. Maybe I'm just happy." Xander watched Buffy's eyes well with tears. "Teary."

Buffy tired to hide her tears. "Oh! Good. Good teary." She quickly rushed out. Xander could see through her veneer.

"Happy teary? Not frustrated with bow-tie teary?" He knew she will struggle with a brief ramble of an excuse.

"Yes. Happy. Happy for you. That makes me happy for me." She looked up at him. "You and Anya give me hope. It's like…. You two are proof that there's light at the end of this very long, long nasty tunnel. And, I cannot tie this tie." She removed her hands from his bow-tie. "Isn't, where's your best man, isn't she supposed to do this?"

"Well, she said she had something important to do."

"Oh, okay." Buffy smiled than removed his jacket from around her shoulders. "Here." Xander reached out and grazed his fingers over Buffy's hand.

"Thanks." Xander adjusted his jacket staring into the mirror. His eyes shifted to Buffy who sat behind him watching him intently. "How do I look?"

Buffy stood from her chair to stand in front of him. "Well, let's see. Found your shoes…. Your fly's zipped. I'd say you look like you're ready to get married." Buffy choked on words slightly. Xander stared at her.

"You're one of the decent one, Xander. I hope I'm as lucky as you guys someday."

"You wanna get lucky? I've still got, what, fifteen, twenty minutes?" Xander teased. Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck hugging him. She pulled back meeting his longing stare.

Xander leaned his head down slowly, inches away from Buffy's lips. "Xander…." Buffy jumped out of his arms. "What are doing?"

"Buffy I…."

"What am I doing? Your getting married like now!"

"Buffy…." He moved closer to her.

"It's just the jitters nothing more." Buffy partly told herself as she reasoned to Xander.

Xander wrapped his arm around Buffy's waist pulling her into his chest. His forehead touched hers. "We can't do this." Buffy whispered.

"Buffy…."

"No. You love Anya. Your marrying Anya." Buffy pushed herself out of his arms. "You have to go." Buffy opened the door and left Xander standing in the center. It took him a few minutes to collect himself before following out into the cocktail room.

As Xander entered the lobby a storm of people circled him. Xander eyed Buffy from across the room talking to a few demons. "Alexander. Do you realize that the usher sat us in the third row?"

"Mom, I'm sure it was a mistake." He kept his stare on Buffy.

"Well, I - I don't think it was really-"

"Excuse me." An old man interrupted.

"Say Neph, do you know where the photographer is? I've got a proposition for him-"

"Please, I really need to talk to you." The old man tugged on Xander's arm.

"Xander?"

"Honey, listen to me." Xander's mother nagged.

"Xander, one of Anya's presents got loose!"

"Got loose?" Xander shifted his attention to the younger Summers.

"It fine-"

"Yeah, it's a fully live squiggly thingy and hey, and why is Halfrek a bridesmaid?"

"Please, please, you have to listen. You have to listen to me!" The old man pulled Xander out of the overwhelming circle.

"You can't get married today. It's a huge mistake." The old man warned.

"Yeah right, thanks for the advice, Uncle…. Help me here?"

"Uncle? You don't recognize me, do you?"

"I'm sorry, I don't -"

"It sounds crazy, I know. But you have to believe me. I'm Xander Harris. I'm you."

Xander blankly stared at him. "What do you mean, you're me?"

"I'm you. I'm from the future."

"Oh, from the future! For a minute I thought you were a nutball but now that you're from the future…."

"Please, listen to me. I found my way back to warn you. To tell you -"

"Hey, hey, easy, easy. Everything's going to be all right."

"Look. Look! I can prove it to you."


	2. Chapter 2 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 2**

The old man pulled Xander into a vacated kitchen and took out an orb, holding it with both hands carefully. "What is it?" Xander looked at the old man.

"It's magic. Very powerful. Look at it. You'll see what I've seen. Feel what I've felt." Xander stared at the orb. The orb glowed taking him into the visions.

_"Anya." Xander sat in a chair, hoping a beer bottle in one hand staring at that the football game blankly. "Anya!" Xander shouted again._

_Two children ran into the living room. "Get the hell away from me! Dad, Josh is teasing me."_

_"Sarah's a weirdo! Sarah's a weirdo!" The children ran off chasing each other._

_"What?" Anya entered the living room._

_"You going out again?"_

_"I'm doing a make-over party." Anya picked up a trash can._

_"I thought you hated those."_

_"Well, one of us has to make some money."_

_"Well, what do you want me to do, Anya? Huh? I can't work. My back is shot."_

_"And whose fault is that?"_

_"Oh, no, no, no. Not the Buffy thing again."_

_"You had no business fighting demons with her."_

_"Buffy needed me. I had to help."_

_"Well, it didn't save her, did it?" Anya seethed. "All it did was ruin our lives." Beat. "It's always about her. Should have just married her instead!"_

_Xander watched Anya angrily leave the home slamming the door shut._

_Fast forward._

_An older, unhappier Harris family sitting in a restaurant. "What?" Xander started blankly at his daughter across the table._

_"I hate this place." Sarah pouted. Xander shifted to say something, Anya elbowed him sightly to stop him from saying anything._

_Xander sat silent as his children fought. "Oh, I hate you guys! And I know you're not my real dad__, and I hate you, I hate you both! I wish you'd die!" __Sarah stormed out._

_"This sucks." Josh shouted, crossing his arms._

_Fast forward. _

_Xander sat at a small table across from an older more miserable Anya. "If you were so unhappy, why didn't you just leave?"_

_"I wanted to. I should have!" Anya shouted._

_"Yeah, you should have. 'Cause then maybe I would have gotten some touch in the past twenty years."_

_"I wasn't the one who stopped touching!"_

_"Oh! Maybe, but you weren't touching me!" Xander jumped from his chair angrily moving to the sink._

_"What did you expect me to do? You wouldn't come near me after Buffy-"_

_"Don't bring her into this!"_

_"You never wanted to be with me. Its always about Buffy. After thirty years its still all about the her. You should married her! You miserable piece of -"_

_Xander grabbed the frying pan from the stove and lunged himself towards Anya, screaming. "Shut up!"_

Xander looked at the old man panting in shock. "I'm so sorry. I didn't want to show you."

"What happened? What was that?"

"A glimpse of your future. Harnessed…. By magic."

"Is she okay? Is she okay, what did I do?"

"Listen. I don't have long here. The spell that brought me back, it won't last. But you can change things. It doesn't have to go like this. But you can't marry Anya."

"But -"

"You'll hurt her less today than you will later. Believe me. Sometimes, two people ... all they bring each other ... is pain. You are marrying the wrong girl." Xander snapped his attention to the old man.

"What?"

The old man raised his orb to Xander. Xander looked down sucking himself into the visions.


	3. Chapter 3 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 3**

_Xander squinted his eyes open blinded by the blazing sun. "Daddy!" Xander turned her head to two small figures running towards him. _

_A little girl with long blond hair jumped down snuggling into his side. A boy squatted down next to his sister. "Dad. Josh is teasing me." The girl pouted. Xander smiled, cupping her cheek._

_"Stop it Josh." Xander scolded lightly. _

_"Tattle tale." Josh tease jumping to his feet._

_"Josh!" The little girl stood chasing her brother._

_"Can't catch me Sarah!" Xander watched his children chase after each other._

_"Those two. Can't be around one another for five minutes without trying to kill each other." Xander turned his head recognizing the familiar voice._

_"How many times do I have to tell you? It's normal for siblings to try to tease, chase, and occasionally harass." Xander watched his blonde goddess sit down on the picnic blanket next to him. "You'd should know, you're the one with a sister."_

_"That's right. I am the one with the sister…. I almost forgot." Buffy smiled leaning closer to Xander. _

_Xander chuckled capturing his wife's mouth._

_Fast forward. _

_The Harris family sat around the dinning room table staring at the burnt meat and questionable green stuff. _

_"When your mother comes down pretend you like it, huh." Xander glanced up at his teenage kids._

_Sarah poked the unidentified dinner with her fork. "Whatever."_

_"Why's she trying to kill us?" Josh asked glancing to Xander._

_"You know your mother. With the slaying and the apocalypse averting. She likes the whole normal family thing and that involves cooking dinner." Xander explained a little unsure._

_On cue Buffy entered the dinning room siting in her chair across from Xander. Her eyes shifted around the table. "The pizza will be here in a few minutes." Xander smiled standing, moving around the table to Buffy._

_"Thank you for dinner." He bent down to kiss her._

_"Mmm…. Because of my good housewife work, you have the pleasure of paying the delivery boy."_

_"Oh, yay." Xander sat back on his heels watching Buffy's smile grow wider, more blinding._

_Fast forward. _

_Buffy and Xander sat across from each other in a small kitchen. Even as an older woman with small, but defined wrinkles and light blonde hair cut to her shoulders, Buffy was still the most beautiful woman. _

_"Sarah, Tom and the kids are going to be here by noon tomorrow." Buffy sat back sipping her coffee._

_"Is Josh swinging by?" Xander sat back in his chair._

_"Probably." Buffy shrugged without much of a thought. Xander watched Buffy with adoration as she took another sip of her coffee._

_After thirty years, two children, and too many apocalypses, Buffy was still Buffy. Her corky, strong, beautiful self. _

_Xander reached out taking her hand into his. He turned her hand over, her palm faced upward and slowly traced the lines of her palm. "I love you." He whispered._

_Buffy stood moving around the small table to his lap. Her arms wrapped around his neck. "Love you, too." She kissed him tenderly. Buffy twisted slightly reaching for her coffee cup. "To thirty years."_

_Xander smirked reaching for his cup. "To the best thirty years of my life." Xander tapped his cup against hers before taking a sip and ending their toast with a loving kiss._

"Buffy?" Xander whispered under his breath. When he glanced to the old man he was gone.


	4. Chapter 4 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 4**

Willow stood at the kitchen doorway watching Xander pace back and forth staring at the floor. His face read confusion and uncertainty. She smiled and moved towards him. "I'll say this for the Y chromosome…. Looks good in a tux." Willow smirked.

Xander glanced up to Willow forcing his smile. "Well, double X's don't look too bad there, either." Willow brushed the imaginary dust from his tux jacket.

"You're getting married. My little Xander."

"All grown up."

"It's a good thing I realized I was gay, otherwise, hey, you, me and formal wear…." Xander pulled the red head into his arms hugging her. Unable to push his thoughts away from Anya and Buffy.

"Do you know how much I love you?" Willow whispered.

"Mmm…. 'bout half as much as I love you." Willow pulled away from him.

"You ready for the long walk?"

"Um…. Willow -" Xander began. "Just give me a sec, I wanna work on my vows." Xander cowered.

"Take your time. It's not like we can start the wedding without you." Willow turned leaving Xander. As she exited his brave smile disappeared.

Suddenly he ran out of the kitchen and down the hall on a mission.

"…. To have sex with you whenever…. _I _want, and, uh…. Uh, pledge to be your friend, and your wife, and your confidant, and your sex poodle…."

"Uh, sex poodle?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Um, I'm not sure you should say 'sex poodle' in your vows."

"Huh." Anya glanced unsurely at Tara from the mirror. The muffled sounds of violins played. "Music. They're playing the music! This is it."

The door opened revealing Buffy poking her head in.

"Are you ready to go?" Buffy fronted her smile. Before Anya could respond Buffy was pulled back into the hallway.

"Xander? What's wrong?" Buffy asked concerned. Xander didn't answer, he took her by the wrist and pulled her into another vacated room.

He let go of her wrist and shut the door behind him. "Xander…." Buffy began. Her words were cut off by Xander's abrupt attack of her mouth.

His arms wrapped around her small waist pushing her against the wall. Buffy's fingers laced through his neatly brushed hair. Suddenly Buffy pushed him off of her. "Xander what the hell are you doing?" Buffy angrily asked.

No response. Xander claimed her mouth again deepening his aggressive kiss.

Buffy pushed him away from her again. "Xander…."

"I can't do it." He whispered.

"What?"

"I can't marry her. I can't marry Anya knowing there's a chance with you."

"Xander…."

"Just - hear me out." Xander began to pace then turned to her. "My future self came to me and showed me visions of my future if I married Anya." Pause. "I was miserable. She couldn't make me happy because I'm still in love with you."

"Xander…."

"I know this -" He waved his index finger to himself than her. "Maybe a fluke. You've never showed any romantic interest in me and I…."

"After…." Buffy began capturing Xander's attention. "After you announced your engagement. I started feeling differently. I was jealous…. It's silly. It never bothered me before, but after you announced the engagement. It hurt because I realized I would never have another chance…. If there ever was a chance." Buffy's voice faded with her last words. Xander moved his hand to Buffy's cheek lightly grazing the soft skin.

"I would've given everything if it meant that you would ever feel the same way." Xander whispered pressing his lips to her forehead.

"What do we do now?" Xander's stomach knotted hearing Buffy's vulnerable whisper.

He looked down at her, meeting her gaze. Xander corked a small smirk. "We -"

A loud knock interrupted their moment. "Buffy? You in there?" Willow's voice sounded.


	5. Chapter 5 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 5**

Willow pounded her hand on the door. "Buffy?"

Buffy stared wantonly at Xander. Her gazed at him sadden. "Ye - yeah! Coming!" The Slayer moved from his arms to the door. She waited for a moment as Xander hide into a closet.

"He's gone. Xander's disappeared!" Willow rushed out panicking. Buffy shifted her expression to surprise.

"What? Xander's gone?" She asked anxious. "Wha - what should we do?"

"You look for him. A - and I'm going to stall." Willow left running down the hallway to the lobby. Buffy nervously closed the door and took a deep breath.

Xander opened the closet door. "What happened?"

"You disappeared." Buffy said without emotion.

"I - god…. Buffy…." Xander moved to her pulling the Slayer into his arms. Hugging her tightly.

"You have to…." Buffy began.

"Have to what? I can't do it. I can't hurt her like that. Marrying me, it's a mistake."

"Xander…."

"I want _you_. I've always wanted you…. Always loved you. In the visions, I was us." Xander cupped her cheek. "We were happy. In love. I want that. Please Buffy." Xander stared at her scared and anxious for her response. He watched the wheels in her head turn.

Her eyes met his. "I need tell you somethings before…. Anything more happens."

Xander nodded partly relieved. "Okay…. Okay…."

"My family is worse."

"No way. Mine is so messed up you have no idea." Dawn scoffed flirtatiously at the teen demon.

"No, just wait until you see my mom dance at the reception, okay, and then tell who's messed up."

Dawn giggled. "I guess they're all messed up."

"Yea. Everybody's pretty lame."

Willow's on stage holding up a finger, grinning widely. "First word…." Willow puts two fingers up against her head like horns and began to move side to side. "Antlers? Animals? Bull!" Willow smiled and nods yes pointing to the winner in the audience.

Xander and Buffy sat silently across from each other in the small dressing room. Xander watched Buffy's conflicted expression. "Just tell me."

"I've been…." She began struggling, scared of what he will say, how he'll react. Buffy took a deep breath. "I've been sleeping with Spike." Buffy blurted out. Her eyes shifted up to Xander.

He sat there expressionless staring at her. After a moment he stood and began to pace back and forth staring at the floor like he perviously done in the kitchen. Buffy fiddled with her fingers nervously. "Say something." She whispered.

Xander stopped looking down at her. "Why? No, don't answer that. For how long? Don't answer that either." He shook his head frustrated. "God Buffy…."

"I needed something." She started. Xander stared at her in confusion. "When I came back. Everything was wrong. I couldn't feel. Spike made me feel something even if it was just for a…. I always felt so disgusted with myself after…. I used him. I selfishly used him for what? My own pity aggressions? It was wrong. I know that. But I needed to feel something besides emptiness. Xander…." Buffy watched him carefully processing the information.

"You were in Heaven." He realized.

"I'm better now…. I understand if you're going to…." Unable finish her sentence Xander kneeled before her, taking her lips. His hands cupped bother of her cheeks.

"Shh…. You say it's over right?"

"Yes," Buffy let her unsurpassed tears fall wrapping her arms securely around Xander's neck. "I'm so sorry…. I'm wrong…. I'm so sorry…." Buffy mumbled against his shoulder.

"Hey, Buff, there is nothing wrong with you. Listen to me." Xander pulled back staring at her. "There is _nothing_ wrong with you. You're perfect to me. I love you no matter what." Xander pushed away a fallen strand of hair. Buffy tried a small smile.

"Xander's gone? Xander is missing? What do you mean Xander's missing?" Anya shouted shouting at Dawn. The guests in their seats turned staring at the teenager and the distressed bride.


	6. Chapter 6 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 6**

"It's a joke. Xander's playing a joke. It's like one time, at one of Carol's weddings, I had this ape suit -" Uncle Rory began.

"Oh, great."

"- and I put it on -"

"Another Harris family joke." A tentacle demon stood rolling his eyes. Mrs. Harris raised her hand to her chest insulted. Mr. Harris stood angry. "Why don't _you_ have another drink?"

"Drinking…. Is the only way I can dull the pain…. Of looking at your ugly face." Mr. Harris slurred irritated.

"You better think real hard about this, Harris." The tentacle demon poked Mr. Harris' chest.

"Don't touch me with those nasty circus things!" Mr. Harris shouted. The tentacle demon ducked Mr. Harris' swing.

"That's it!" The demon threw his punch, they both fell to the floor punching. Everyone, of both parties stood and attacked each other breaking into a giant brawl. Willow still standing next to the minister on stage rolls her eyes before locating Tara on the other side of the brawl.

"I need to talk to Anya now." Xander stood still holding Buffy's hand.

"And tell her what?"

"The truth." Xander looked down at her. "That I'm in love with someone else and can't marry her because of me in love with someone else. Something along those lines." Xander shrugged.

"Okay. We should just…."

"Yeah." Xander opened the door to the hallway.

They slowly walk down the hallway hand in hand dreading what's to come.

A chair flung across to the other side of the room. Buffy and Xander shared a look before racing to the lobby area. They stood watching in shock at the family brawl. "Great." Xander mumbled.

"Xander!" Anya spotted her fiance from across the room. Xander shifted his gaze to Anya.

"Anya!" Xander started to move through the brawl. "Stop it!" Xander yelled. Everyone stopped staring at Xander. "Sit down and shut up." Xander ordered.

"Alexander -"

"Mom, sit." Xander ordered. "Anya…." Xander nodded his towards the private area near the door away from everyone. Anya smiled and raced to Xander.

Buffy stood still watching Anya practically skip to the doorway. Xander stopped and gave her a small smile than left her.

"You know, it's bad luck to see me in my dress." Anya cooed. Xander tried a small smile but it was unsuccessful. "Hey. It's okay."

"I know."

"So…. We're ready now. Let's get married." Anya smiled widely turning away. Xander takes her hand stopping her.

"I…. I'm not. I'm not ready. I can't, Ahn, I'm sorry." Xander let out a relieved breath.

"But…. I don't understand. You proposed. I said yes. And now we're supposed to marry."

"We can't -"

"What happened?"

"I saw us…. Our future. We, you were miserable…."

"But it wasn't real…. It was just some…."

"It can be. In my visions it wasn't you I was hating. I had these thoughts, and…. Fears before this." Xander stared down at the floor.

"Xander, do you…. Is there someone else?" Anya watched him carefully. Xander slowly looked up guilty.

"Who?" Anya didn't try to hide her hurt.

"Ahn, this is a mistake, it's forever, and…. I don't want to hurt you. Not that way."

"Who is she Xander?" Anya's voice rose.

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry." Xander dropped his hands away from hers. Anya stepped away from him moving her hand to wipe the tears from her cheeks. In a daze she walked away.

Xander watched her go, his focus moved to Buffy still standing were he left her. She was surrounded by Tara, Dawn, and Willow. Sensing his gaze, Buffy looked at him for a moment. Xander pushes his back to the door opening it. Leaving everyone.


	7. Chapter 7 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 7**

The next day, no one heard from Xander. After Anya dismissed everyone from the ceremony she disappeared.

Back at the Summers house, Buffy sat at the dinning room table staring at her hands lost in her own thoughts. The doorbell rang, interrupting her brooding session. She stood moving to the door.

On the other side of the door revealed Xander still wearing his tux. His bow-tie was hanging from his jacket pocket and his shirt hanging from his pants. "Hi." He whispered.

"Xander?" Buffy took in his unkept appearance.

"I tried calling, but I couldn't without…."

"Hey. You don't need to explain to me." They moved into the foyer. Buffy turned from the door into Xander's arms. "I've missed you. I was worried."

"I'm sorry. I just needed…. Is she here?" Xander looked above Buffy's head into the living room.

"Do you wanna find her?"

"Not really. There was a Closed sign on the Magic Box, which, like, chilled me to the bone."

"After you left she kinda disappeared." Buffy moved from his arms uncomfortably.

"Buff, I am so sorry leaving you there."

"No big. You're here now." Her eyes trailed up him for a moment. "You're here with a smell. Come on." Buffy took his hand with a small smile and dragged him up the stairs.

Entering Joyce's old bedroom now Buffy's. Xander took off his tux jacket hanging over the chair. "You can use the shower." She moved to a drawer pulling out an old maroon Sunnydale High t-shirt and gray sweatpants. "Here, wear these."

Xander smiled taking the neatly folded clothes. "Thanks." Xander cracked the bathroom door closed. Buffy wanted to be in there with him but she knew they needed to talk before anything more happens.

Xander played with the foist, waving his hand underneath the water for the perfect temperature. He tossed his shirt and pants to the floor and entered the warm shower. "Shampoo, shampoo…." Xander read the different bottles Buffy had alined in the shower. He clicked opened the cap, moving the bottle near his nose ingraining the vanilla sent into his mind like he's done countless times before. He went hard knowing that she touched the same bottle hours before. A small smile appeared across his lips realizing that he never has to feel guilty about 'getting hard' when he thought about Buffy again. Xander happily continued scrubbing the suds in his dark hair.

Xander opened the bathroom door that led into Buffy's bedroom which was empty. _Must be down stairs._ Xander quickly dressed and went down the stairs.

As he neared the end of the steps he heard Willow's voice in the dinning room. "It…. When I was seeing her, she was seeing someone else. A girl."

"You mean -" Xander smirked at the sound of Buffy's voice.

"I mean…. Not 'seeing' seeing. Well, maybe. I don't know, it was inconclusive, and I didn't stick around to find out. Might have magicked my fist through a wall or something."

"Will, I'm sorry."

"I mean, they're probably just friends. I press my lips against my friends' all the time."

"I'm sure they're just friends. Once you fall for Willow, you stay fallen."

"Thanks, Buffy."

Xander appeared from behind the wall into the living room. Willow smiled and wrapped her arms around her friends neck hugging him tightly. "Xander! We've missed you."

"Missed you too." Xander whispered as Willow pulled away.

"Where were you?"

"Walking, thinking…. Came here, took a shower, and here I am."

"Buffy you didn't…." Willow looked to Buffy.

"I didn't get the chance." Buffy said quickly. Standing in an awkward circle Buffy glanced down at her watch. "It's getting to be that time."

"Patrol?"

"Yep." Buffy moved to the living room weapons chest.

"Yeah, I have a study session to get too. Dawn's going to be at Janice's for the night." Willow picked up her bag. Buffy nodded.

"I'll go with you." Xander looked at Buffy who stood holding a sharp looking stake.

"Okay…. But you should probably wear shoes of some kind." Buffy glanced down at his bare feet.

"Good call." Xander smiled and ran up the stairs.


	8. Chapter 8 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 8**

Buffy and Xander went through eleven of the twelve cemeteries in Sunnydale. One more to go.

Xander pushed open the Restfield Cemetery gate letting Buffy enter first. The two barely spoken, unsure where they stood, how they should act.

Buffy looked up at the moon, memorized by the clear night. Xander saw his opportunity to take a step and laced his fingers through hers. Buffy looked down at their hands for a moment than back at him. She smiled and clutched his arm, gradually walking through the quiet evening.

"Oy! What the hell is going on here?" Spikes voice broke the soothing peace. Buffy and Xander turned annoyed and somewhat guilty.

"Spike."

"What's this Slayer? You push me to the curb and you bounce on the first bloke you can find -" Spike realized the man with her. "Xander?"

"Spike."

A large smile crept on Spike lips. "Well, I'd be damned! Thought you and the demon girl would on your honeymoon by now."

"Go away Spike." Buffy ordered unamused.

"Don't tell me you're shagging him." Spike's smile dropped. "Slayer…. You silly, ruthless, bitch!" Buffy moved her sight away from the blonde vampire. "You broke off the wedding didn't you, you sodden home wrecker! You break up with me for him? Please, Buffy, I am twice the man that git is." Spike pointed to Xander. "You are one fucking whore!" Xander punched Spike causing him to stubble into the side of a crypt.

"You shut up." Xander said sternly ready to take another swing at Spike. Buffy placed a calming hand on his arm. Xander immediately dropped his fist turning to Buffy.

"They don't know, do they?" Spike stood leaning against the side of the crypt.

"They don't." Buffy said without emotion. Spike nodded and spit out reminisce of blood.

"What makes you think I won't say anything?" Spike glanced at Buffy. Buffy knew he would blabber about either them or her and Xander.

"I don't know Spike." Buffy shrugged and gazed up at Xander. "Let's go."

"Yeah, off with you…. Just don't expect her to show a fraction of emotion. Not even when she's cumming beneath you." Xander swung hitting Spike square in the nose.

Xander angrily took Buffy's hand and pulled her away from the vampire exiting the cemetery.

Approaching the curb of the streetlamp lit street Xander infuriately paced up and down. Buffy stood at the curb watching him quietly. Xander turned to Buffy noticing the shameful expression on her face. He quickly move to her grazing his finger tips down her cheek bone. "I'm sorry. I lost my head for a second."

Buffy shrugged. "Spike's, not wrong. What he said…. He's not entirely wrong."

"Buffy…."

"I kinda am home wrecker. I broke you and Anya up with a simple kiss. On your wedding day. I'm just a silly whore with a black pit of nothingness."

"Stop it. Buffy stop." Xander took her hand guiding her to the bench near the streetlamp. "You're not…. Don't listen to Spike. He's evil and jealous. You're a…. A bright light." Xander smiled. Buffy frowned her brows uncertainly. "What I mean is…. You're that light at the end of the tunnel. Remember a few years ago I said that when I was in the dark, alone, and scared I thought of you?" Buffy nodded.

"You're more than my hero. I've watched you become this extraordinary women. I'm sitting here wondering how can I ever deserve you? I've been in love with you since I was fifteen, and now that I have a chance to fight for your heart. Of course I'm gonna take it. Because I love all of you. Miserable you, happy you, talkative you, I'm-Gonna-Kick-Your-Ass you…. Everything that makes _you_ Buffy. You are the most sensational, incredible, gorgeous women I've ever known. And I can't wait, to begin my life with you."

By the end of Xander's big monologue, Buffy let her tears stream down her cheeks. Xander smiled wiping her fallen tears away with the soft touch of his thumb. Cupping her cheek he move her closer to his lips, kissing her softly yet passionately.

Slowly breaking their kiss Buffy searched his eyes for any trace of regret. There was nothing besides love. "I love you." Buffy whispered against his mouth. Xander grinned widely taking her mouth again smiling between their kisses.


	9. Chapter 9 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 9**

Buffy and Xander entered the quiet house. "Willow's still not back." Buffy said noticing the dark kitchen and living room.

"Guess so…." Xander moved into the kitchen flicking on the light. Moving around in the cabinets he noticed a small piece of paper with scribbles written on it. He picked it up. "Buff…. Willow's pulling an all nighter." Xander glanced up from the paper watching Buffy enter the kitchen. "She'll be back sometime tomorrow."

"We've got the house to ourselves." Buffy moved closer wrapping her arms around his neck.

"We sure do."

"What do you wanna do?" Buffy asked alluringly. Xander tried to hide his excitement. He could think of plenty things to do with Buffy. But, he had a feeling that she wanted to take it slow.

"How about a movie?" Xander suggested something innocent, icebreaking even.

Buffy smiled. "Okay. Buffy and Xander movie marathon bonding session."

"That's a very long title."

"Pick out the movie and snacks. I'm gonna change." Buffy turned away from Xander moving to the stairs.

Xander happily smiled to himself reaching for the cheesy chips in the back of the cabinet.

After a couple of minutes later, Xander watched Buffy walk towards him from the stairs. He sat there comfortably in his sweatpants and worn t-shirt. His arms opened wide ready for Buffy to snuggle into his chest. She tucked her legs beneath her and wrapped her arms around Xander's waist. "What are we watching?" Buffy's head rested against Xander's collarbone.

"I was thinking City Lights."

Buffy smiled. "Perfect."

Xander hugged her tighter as he took a cheesy chip from the bag with his free hand. Buffy looked up at him watching him munch on the chips. Xander glanced down at her and smiled before leaning in to kiss her. With a content smile Buffy laid her head back down watching the classic film.

The next day, Xander opened his eyes when he felt a hand slide slightly up his chest. He looked down to find Buffy laying on top of him sound asleep. Last night's event rushed through his mind quickly. Remembering about a ten minutes into the film Buffy was already asleep.

He smiled watching her. Her expression was peaceful and innocent. Xander gently moved her hair around her ear. A moment later she began to stir, titling her head upwards her eyes were still closed. "Hey," Buffy's voice was raspy, filled with sleep.

"Hey."

Buffy shifted more on top of Xander. "Morning." She initiated their first morning kiss.

"Mmm…. It is a good morning." Xander smiled against her mouth. They shared a comfortable silence until Buffy's stomach grumbled.

"I'm hungry."

"Well, lucky for you I have a secret talent that happens to be brewing coffee, making pancakes and pouring cereal." Xander teased.

"Where have you been?" Buffy rested her chin on his chest looking up at him with a small smile.

"Come on." Xander sat up taking Buffy with him and stood moving into the kitchen.

The kitchen looked exactly how they left it the night before. "Willow must still be at that study group thing." Buffy sat at the counter island.

"When's Dawnie supposed to be back?"

"Probably, sometime in the afternoon." Buffy cradled her chin in her palm watching Xander gracefully move around the kitchen. "This is good, right?"

Xander turned with questioning glint in his eyes. "What's good?"

"This. Me and you thing…. It's good, right?" Xander placed the box of pancake mix down and turned, leaning over the counter island taking Buffy's hands into his.

"Perfect. I will go as slow or fast as _you_ want."

"Okay." Buffy met him halfway over the counter and pressed her mouth against his.

"We should have some coffee some time." Willow shifted nervously. "Uh, maybe some day…. This week after class?"

"I'm free tomorrow." Tara smiled softly.

"Uh, you could, you could bring your friend."

Tara titled her head to the side surprised. "I wasn't gonna - I - I mean, if you have a friend -"

"No! I'm, oh, I - I'm friendless." Willow quickly said.

"Yeah, yeah, no friends. I - I mean, I have friends -"

"Right, many dear friends, yea." Willow anxiously laughed as Tara fidgeted with her hands.

"Coffee." Tara smiled.

"With us. Who are…. Just friends." Willow conformed with a nod.

Back at the Summers home Buffy's legs straddled Xander's lap on the couch "making out" like two schooly teenagers. Xander's hand laced through Buffy's hair deepening their kiss.

Buffy moved her hands from the back of his head, down his shoulders, and finally his arms. Breaking softly away they were still close enough to feel the soft pants against their lips.

The front door abruptly opened. Buffy jumped from Xander's lap to his side. Xander awkwardly took the pillow next to him and placed it over his erection.

"Hey Buffy…. And Xander."

"Dawnster. How was the big sleepover?" Xander asked a little too cheerful.

"Okay." Dawn sensed something was up. "What did you guys do?" The teen looked at her sister.

"Wha - what? Oh, uh, patrolled with Xander. It got kinda late so Xand crashed here."

"Oh, where's Willow?"

"Study group thing." Buffy attempted causal.

"Cool. We still on for sister, sister bonding shopping time today?" Dawn asked.

"You Summers girls and your long titles…." Xander mumbled. Buffy started at Dawn blankly completely oblivious to Xander's comment.

"But I'm cramping you teenage style." Buffy realized.

"No -"

"Yes, I am." Buffy's eyes widened alarmed. "I'm the embarrassing mom who tries too hard. When did this happen?" Xander smirked and shrugged.

Dawn smiled. "No, you're not, it's not that, it's just…. What if, instead of you hanging out with me? Maybe I could hang out with you."

"Um…. Yeah." Buffy quivered a small smile.

Dawn's grin grew. "Xander do you wanna come, carry the bags and all?" Xander quickly glanced at Buffy than back at Dawn.

"Sure I guess I could use a few things."

"Great!" Dawn smiled. "Buffy go get dressed."

"Right…. Shower and clothes." Buffy practically sprinted up the stairs leaving Dawn and Xander in the living room.

"What's her deal?" Dawn frowned slightly.

Xander shrugged. "Must be a Summers thing. You girls are _both _crazy." Xander teased lightly causing Dawn to smile brightly.


	10. Chapter 10 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 10**

The sun shined brightly overhead as Buffy, Xander, and Dawn steadily walked down the shop strip mall. Two and a half hours and Xander was only carrying a depressing three small bags. "Okay, how about this store?" Buffy pointed to a shop window.

"Ah. Three pairs of earrings, a coin purse and a toothbrush." Dawn listed.

Buffy and Xander shared a similar look. "You stole a toothbrush."

"A mother-of-pearl handle. Very fancy." Dawn defended herself.

"Yeah, but you stole a toothbrush. As far as rebellious teenagers go, you're kinda square." Xander gave Dawn a small smile.

"Dental hygiene is important."

"Guess this was kind of a lame sisters' slash Xander day out, huh?" Buffy pouted. Xander tried to push his thoughts from kissing Buffy out of his mind at that moment. "Taking you places you can't go in."

"No, it's my bad. I'm the one that got caught taking stuff."

Xander hated seeing his girls unhappy. He glanced across the street to the pet store knowing that puppies will make everything better. "Hey, how about the pet store?" He shifted his gaze to Dawn. "You didn't take anything from there, did you?"

"A pocketful of goldfish. It didn't work out." Buffy and Xander blankly stared at Dawn in disbelief. Dawn couldn't help but laugh. "No!"

"Okay, good. We can go, and we can look at all the puppies." Buffy smiled watching Dawn childishly run up ahead. Xander saw his opportunity to take Buffy's hand and give her a quick squeeze before catching up to the teen.

That evening Xander sat at the dinning room table of the Summers home reading the newspaper without any real fascination. Buffy came from the kitchen holding two cups of coffee when there was a knock at the door. Buffy glanced at Xander before going to the door.

Can't be any of Dawn's friends she was at the movies with them nor Willow's because she was still out. So it must be…. "Anya?"

The blonde stood at the front door expressionless. Buffy closed the door behind her stepping on to the porch. After a long moment of uncomfortable silence Buffy eyed the other blonde leaning against the pillar on the side of the door. "I don't think he could feel any worse." Buffy broke the silence.

"Let's test that theory."

"Anya, Xander's my - friend. I know what he did was wrong, and…. If it happened to me, I'd -"

"Wish his penis would explode?" Anya asked hopefully. Buffy raised her brows moving to sit on the top step. Anya followed the Slayers motions sitting next to her.

"I don't really think I should." _I feel sick._

"Did I mention the whole 'left at the altar' thing? Didn't leave that out, did I?"

"No." Buffy shook her head. "Look, I - I know what he did was wrong. God, if it happened to me, I…. I - I, it must have been torture." Buffy's voice trailed off.

"Okay! Let's talk about torture!" Anya's voice practically shouted. Buffy gave her a simple look. Anya frowned and thought. "Squish, squish, squish! Guys have been running roughshod over you for years." Buffy nodded in reluctantly agreed than pouted. "Torturing that perky little ticker. Aren't you sick of it? Don't you wish guys like that -"

"Whoa. Guys? There have only been five - three! Three! Three guys. That's barely plural." Buffy hoped Anya didn't catch her double mistake.

"And didn't each of them rip your heart out? Don't men like that, as to pick an example, Xander, deserve to be punished?" Anya waited for Buffy's answer. Impatient of Buffy's hesitation, Anya stood ready to storm off down the pathway. Buffy still sat watching the other woman.

"Anya," Anya turned to the Slayer with an annoyed look on her face. "I know you're hurting, but -"

"What? Xander doesn't deserve to suffer for what he did 'cause he's your friend, and I'm not, right? I get it."

"No. That's not what I'm saying at all. What he did was wrong. He knows that."

Anya scoffed at her words. "It just, it hurts. He hurt me so much." Buffy stood and touch Anya's arm gently.

"He really did. Look, I - I wish that…." Buffy began.

"Anya?" Xander opened the front door. Buffy turned her head and gave him a guilty look. Anya stepped away from Buffy and crossed her arms cross.

"Well, congratulations. They all still love you. Even after what you did to me." Anya angrily walked away.

Buffy stood at the end of the step still looking down the direction Anya stormed off in. Her arms protectively wrapped around herself. Xander let of a heavy breath and moved to Buffy placing his hands on her shoulders.

"I'm sorry." Xander whispered.

"Stop." Buffy whispered. She slowly turned to him. "Stop telling me you're sorry."

"I just…. I feel like I'm hurting you."

"Your not." Xander pulled Buffy into his chest hugging him tightly. "I'm beginning to hate the word 'sorry'. Its so - stupid is what it is." Buffy mumbled against his t-shirt. Xander smiled into her hair.

"Defiantly."


	11. Chapter 11 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 11**

Xander pulled away from Buffy slightly. "Maybe I should go talk to her."

"Not crazy about that idea."

"I should go after her explain…."

"Explain what? That you left her at the alter for some girl? In the land of the sane…."

"You're not some girl Buffy. You have never been some girl to me." Xander took both of her hands and gradually tugged her into his arms.

Buffy wrapped her arms around Xander's neck, closing her eyes relishing their closeness. When she opened them she noticed a red hatted gnome in the flower patch near her tree. "What the hell is that creepy little thing doing in my yard?" Buffy moved out of Xander's arms kneels to the gnome. Xander picked it up observing it extensively. "Did Willow put that there when I was dead? 'Cause if I had known, I would have crawled out of the grave sooner to -" Buffy watched the gnome slip out Xander's hands shattering into pieces.

"Buffy." Xander picked up the broke piece of gnome's head.

"Oh my god." Buffy noticed a small camera securely placed inside.

"Looks like someone's been keeping an eye on all your ins and outs."

"What the who?"

Xander sat back on his heels. "Well, now, let's see. Who's obsessed with Buffy? Who like to hang out in her yard and keep an eye on her? Who's in love with you?" Buffy gave Xander a grim look

"You think Spike?"

"Is 'duh' the best word?"

"It does make sense. I'll go down to his crypt -"

"No." Xander stood crossing his arms over his chest.

"But Xand -"

"No. I don't want you to go down there alone." Xander said sternly. Buffy stood and realized.

"You think Spike and I -"

"No girlfriend of mine is going -"

Buffy placed her hand on his cheek and softly smiled. "Xander nothing will happen. It's over. I promise you." Xander still looked unconvinced. Buffy cupped her other hand on his cheek. "I'm yours." She bent him lower to lightly kiss him.

"Did you just confirm our couply-ness as an actual relationship?" Xander asked almost nervously. Buffy simply smiled and kissed him again.

"What's this?" Spike held the camera in his hand.

Buffy stood with her arms crossed. "It's a camera."

"Yeah, I got that part. Why am I holding it?"

"Someone was using it to spy on me. On my house. Xander thinks it's you."

"Oh, the great Xander thinks so! Shudder gasp! It must be true!"

"Spike -"

"That ponce has always hat it for me. That nancy-boy of yours," Spike laughed. "Every chance he gets, he sticks it -" Spike looked at Buffy, who stood unamused. "You believe him, don't you? You think I was spying on you." Spike shouted clearly offended.

Buffy stood silent. "You think I could do that?" Spike asked.

"Because you don't lie or cheat or steal or manipulate…."

"I don't hurt you." Spike whispered handing the camera back.

"I know."

Spike turned. "No, you don't. I've tried to make it clear to you, but you won't see it. You see it in Xander!" Pause. "Something happened to me. The way I feel…. About you…. It's different. More than what Xander could ever give you. And no matter how hard you try to convince yourself it isn't, it's real."

"I think it is." Buffy muttered. Spike snapped his eyes to her hopeful. "For you." She moved to the door. Reaching the door Buffy pauses and turned back. "I know that's not what you want to hear. I'm sorry. I really am. But, Spike, you have to move on. You have to get over -"

"Get out." Spike seethed through his teeth. Buffy looked at him one last time and left the crypt.


	12. Chapter 12 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 12**

The front door opened. Xander anxiously stood from the couch adjusting his shirt. He watched Buffy enter the house with a glum pout and sorrowful eyes. Buffy turned facing him.

"How'd it go?" Xander broke their silence.

"He was hurt and pissed off. As I expected." Buffy hung her leather coat on the hook near the door.

"It wasn't him?"

"No, it wasn't…." Move closer to Xander.

"I should have something once I get trapped into the fiberoptic network." Buffy turned to Willow's voice from the dinning room. The red headed witch stared at her laptop. "We're gonna use the feedback relay to, uh, get their signal routed into our system."

Buffy and Xander went into the dinning room standing behind Willow. "Okay, if it's not Spike, and I'm, I'm not saying I believe him…." He glanced at Buffy who simply rolled her eyes. "But if it's not Spike, I think we already know who's behind this."

"Makes sense." Willow said.

"I want. To find. These guys." Buffy stared at the laptop screen crossing her arms.

At the Geek Trio Lair, Jonathan sat at a wooden stable holding a short wooden rod with the magic disk attached to the end. He carefully positions it in front of the candle and sprinkles powder of the disk caused a glow of red and purple smoke coming off of the magic disk.

"Uncover." Jonathan said. A purple light beam shoots from the candle and through the magic disk and onto a map laying open on the desk. "There. That's it. That's where we have to go." Jonathan pointed to the destination.

"Well, now that we've found out where we're supposed to go -" Warren began.

Suddenly the map burst into flames. The trio jump back in a fright. "Yay!" Jonathan runs away from the fire.

Andrew and Warren pull the flaming map to the floor and stomped the fire out. Jonathan came back with a fire extinguisher in his hands. Warren reaches for a blanket from the sofa throwing it down on top of the fire. "Hey! That's my blanket!"

"Makes sense, it was your fire." Warren smirked. A red light-bulb went off on one the monitors.

"Xander's site…." Willow said. Xander leaned closer to the screen surprised.

"What?"

"They've been spying on all these places?"

"I can tell there are more feeds, I, I'm have a harder time pinpointing 'em. Here, lemme…." Willow trailed off typing purposefully. "Here, I think there are a couple more transmitters on the network, I just…. Ucch, I've almost got a picture on 'em. I think I've got the Magic Box. Whoa!" Willow jumped out of her seat.

Buffy stared at the screen, she sensed Xander's glance. Dawn came down the stares moving towards Buffy and Xander. "Hey guys. What's up?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Willow shrieked.

"I…. What is she…." Xander watched his ex-fiance and Spike aggressively kiss on top of the table of the Magic Box. Buffy watched the monitor getting more upset by the second.

"Buffy?"

"That's enough." Buffy stormed into another room. Willow and Dawn share a concerned look. Hearing the front door shut, Xander moved into the foyer.

"Will, Buffy's gone." Xander grabbed his jacket running out the door.

Catching up to the blonde Slayer, Xander reaches for her wrist for her to stop. "Xander…."

"What'd you doing?"

"Stopping them. Its wrong and…." Buffy looked at Xander and let out a defeated sigh. "I don't know…."

"They're hurting and getting back at us."

"And Anya doesn't even -" Buffy stopped at the shops front door opened. Spike and Anya awkwardly walked out looking embarrassed and ashamed.

Buffy and Xander didn't move from the center of the street. "Xander." Anya gasped.

Xander slowly crept to the pair and threw a single punch across Spike chiseled jaw. Spike fell back against the brick wall falling to the ground. Xander stood at the vampire's feet raged.

"You're just gonna sit there? Do nothing?" Xander didn't wait for his answer instead he pulled Spike up by his jacket collar. "That the kinda man you are?"

"I'm not gonna fight you. Chip." Xander showed no sympathy and kneed Spike in his stomach.

"Too bad." Xander pulled a stake from his pocket. Buffy rushed over.

"Xander, no! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" Anya shouted and shoved Xander away from Spike. "Xander, I…." Anya began.

"Don't." Xander held up his hand to stop her. "Didn't take long, did it?" Xander darkly stared at Spike.

Spike just looked up focusing on Buffy standing behind Xander and started to laugh. "You gotta be kidding me Harris." Spike laughed harder.

"We saw the whole show." Xander shifted his gaze from Spike to Anya.

"Not what I'm talking about you pillock." Spike leaned against the brick wall. "You're not furious about me and Anya. You're pissed off that I moved on from Buffy." Spike triumphantly smirked.

Anya looked at Buffy. "Buffy?"

"Oh, what you thought it wouldn't come out sooner or later?" Spike taunted.

"What does Buffy have to do with this?" Anya asked confused.

Spike smirked at Xander. "Right, she doesn't know the real reason you left her at the alter. Hmm, let me fill her in. You see, Xander left you for…."

"Shut up." Buffy ordered quietly. Anya pieced the puzzle together looking from Xander to Buffy and back to Xander.

They looked away guilty.

"Oh my god. You and…. Buffy?"

"Ahn…."

"No, I don't want to know this. I don't want to know any of this." Anya turned and ran away.

Spike looked at the couple unapologetic. Buffy stared at Spike angry but stayed calm. She reached taking Xander's hand, lacing her fingers through. Xander knew what she was doing and gladly threw his relationship back at Spike.

Spike watched them go disgusted. "What do I have to do?" Spike mumbled to himself leaning his head back against the brick wall.


	13. Chapter 13 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 13**

"Sleeping together? You mean like the naked kind of together?" Willow sat up in bed holding the blanket over her chest.

"I'm sorry I didn't say anything, but I, I promised her I wouldn't." Tara sighed.

"Does everybody else know? Am I the only one she didn't -"

"God, no. She, she didn't even mean to tell me, it just came out." Tara quickly explained.

"How could she hide something like this from me?"

"I think she was afraid of the look you'd get on your farce." Willow stared blankly at Tara. "Kinda like the one you're wearing now."

"Oh, no, I'm not…. I'm just trying to understand."

"So is she."

"Wow, she probably really needs someone to talk to."

"Probably." Tara watched Willow process the information.

"Mmm…." Buffy moaned with a soft smile feeling Xander warms lips kiss her shoulder than trailed to her neck and finally to her mouth. "Mmm…. Good morning…." Buffy whispered, her eyes still closed.

"Morning." Xander slid down wrapping his arm around Buffy's small frame.

"Good way to wake up." Buffy moved on top of Xander's chest and kissed his chin. "I don't wanna get up." The Slayer rested her head over Xander's heart. She listened to the quiet rhythm for a moment. "Everyone probably figured it out by now."

"Figured what out." Xander played with her blonde hair.

"Me sleeping with Spike."

"Oh," Xander buried his nose in her hair smelling her vanilla sent. "What do you think will happen?"

"I was mostly afraid of your reaction. I think they'll just be confused and a little upset that I didn't tell them."

"I think it's time to face, the music."

"No. No, up." Buffy tightened her arm from around Xander's waist.

"Fine, then I won't cook."

"Leave." Buffy rolled away from her boyfriend. Xander smiled getting out of bed.

After they left Spike at the Magic Box Buffy didn't want to go back home. Xander suggested his apartment and Buffy appreciatively agreed.

Xander stood at the stove holding the pan handle and spatula in the other flipping the pancakes over. The bedroom door opened. Buffy walked out finishing the top buttons of the shirt Xander wore the night before.

He did a double take as Buffy approached him. His eyes trailed from her naked legs to her disheveled short blonde hair. "Holy…. Gah…." Xander's mouth opened slightly.

Buffy gave him a megawatt grin knowing that she was making him drool. "Smells good." She moved behind him, circling her arms around his waist. Xander smirked placing the cooked pancakes on the plate and turned in Buffy's arms, facing her.

"Please, only wear my clothes from now on." Xander moved Buffy's loose strands behind her ear.

"Yeah, okay, but I bought this dress that comes up to…. Here." Buffy moved her hand mid-thigh.

"Oh god…." Xander rested his forehead against Buffy's shoulder. The sound of her laugh made his heart soar.

Xander pulled into the Summers driveway. Buffy took a deep breath getting out. "Here we go." Slowing walking up the pathway into the house. "Hello? Anyone home?" Buffy poked her head into the living room.

"Buff." Xander looked down at the note on the dinning room table. "Willow, Dawn, and…. Tara! Went to get breakfast." Xander picked up the papers from under the note. "Buff." Xander called. "Here."

Buffy looked at the notebook papers. "Hmm…."

"Is that hmm, good? Or hmm, bad?" Xander waited. "Buff?" No response. "Buffy."

Buffy moved the papers down looking up at Xander. "What? Oh, Willow got me the address to the nerds hideout."

"Okay."

"I'm gonna go there. You track 'em."

"Buff…."

"Go. It's an order Harris." Buffy cocked her chin up and pointed to the door. Xander couldn't help but smirk in adoration.

"Fine. But, be careful." He picked her lips before leaving.

Buffy placed the papers back on the table. "Okay dorks, we're gonna have a little chat."


	14. Chapter 14 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 14**

Buffy pulled the locked doorknob off the door and entered the Geek Trio's Lair. She gradually wondered over to a desk rummaging through the stacks of papers and books. "Very little, considering the pummeling that needs to occur."

She moved to a shelf wear a bunch of action figures are neatly place. "I mean, guys, hello. Slayer here. Did you honestly think I wouldn't find you…." Buffy noticed the white-board that the Nerds scribbled their "evil plans" on. She turned the white-board over. On the surface it read: "TOO LATE!"

Buffy frowned. "Well, that can't be good."

Huge circular buzz-saws cut through the white-board and moves closer to Buffy cutting through everything. Buffy dives to the floor avoiding being sliced in two.

Several more saw cut through the walls from all angles. Buffy flipped and ducked over and under the buzz-saws and reaches for some random papers and books on the table before running out the door.

Buffy fell to the grass. Papers and books fly everywhere. She groaned and sat up still holding a large, old book. As she moved to stand Buffy noticed a big ripped gash on her red leather jacket. "Okay. That's gonna cost ya." Buffy mumbled annoyed.

"Okay, we're here, ready for action! Uh, bad guy fighting action." Willow giggled walking into the foyer. "Buff?"

"In here." Willow went into the living room where Buffy sat on the couch going through the papers she took.

"Hey, you okay?" Xander noticed the huge rip on her jacket. "What happened? You okay?"

Buffy glanced up at Xander. "I'm fine. Just the fabric. Just the fabric of my very expensive coat." Buffy said exasperated.

"So, um, nerds. How are them? They?" Tara asked.

"They obviously knew we were tracing their signal. They left in a hurry. Van was gone, but everything else was still there." Buffy explained.

"We should go back, uh, Tara and I can Sherlock around -"

"There's nothing left there now. Giant buzz saw. It was a thing." Buffy lifted the papers in her hand. "This was all that I could save. I, I know it's not much, but we need to go through it and see if we can find anything that might tell us what, what they're doing, where they're going…."

"Sure thing Buff." Xander sat next to his secret girlfriend on the couch he mindlessly placed his hand on her knee. Buffy continued to read through the papers not noticing the small, yet intimate gesture.

Tara, Willow, and Dawn sat on the floor around the coffee table.

Tara picked up a large book that split down the middle. "Um, this might take a while." She chuckled.

"Anything we can do to fast forward? We really need to find Warren and the others before anyone else gets hurt." Buffy said.

"Maybe they've heard something in the demon bars about those guys. Spike -" Dawn started.

Buffy and Xander's heads shot up at the mention of the vampires name. "Spike…. Spike's not part of the team." Buffy moved her eyes back to the papers.

"So he's not…. Going to be around anymore?" Dawn softly asked.

Buffy and Xander shared a corresponding glance. "Not for a while Dawnie." Xander answered.

"Okay, Willow, Tara, I want you two to check around town. High school to Magic Box. Xander, check the bars especially Willy's…."

"Can I go with Xander?" Dawn asked. "Oh, come on. It was my idea!" Dawn pouted.

"Fine. Xander…."

"She'll be fine."

"Where are you going?" Willow asked.

"I'll a take a quick patrol." Buffy shrugged.


	15. Chapter 15 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 15**

Xander and Dawn entered the Bronze. The club was completely packed with people lounging in the chairs, dancing, and surrounding the bartender. "Business is a booming." Xander muttered.

"You got that right. How are we gonna find…." Dawn and Xander glanced in the direction of Warren's familiar voice.

"Don't worry, babies. Daddy's gonna give you some too." Warren moved towards the women at the bar seductively.

"See now, I think it's the daddy thing that's throwing her. 'Cause incest, not that sexy." Xander walked up behind Warren.

Warren stood turned into Xander's face. "Aw, crap." Jonathan whined.

"So, uh, why don't we leave the ladies to their impending nausea and move the freakshow outside, whaddaya say?"

Warren nodded. "Okay. Lemme ask you something first. You think maybe you could put in a word for me with that Anya chick? 'Cause if she's taking it from a vamp…. I think I might have a chance." Warren smirked.

Xander lifted his fist and punched Warren square in the chin. Warren barely flinches. Xander clutches his hand in pain. "No wonder she's screwing a dead guy. You hit like a girl. Hey, you think Buffy's available?"

"In your wet dreams." Xander spat back. Warren scowls and punches Xander across the room.

"Xander!" Dawn rushed over to the bleeding man.

"Warren, we have to go." Jonathan said standing in the background next to Andrew.

"We go when I'm ready."

"Hey, it's your call, but…. We're gonna miss that thing you wanted to do tonight if we odin't leave right now. That's all I'm saying."

Warren nods reluctantly and bends over Xander. "It's your lucky night, Shemp." He glanced at Dawn and reached out his hand to touch her face. Dawn instinctively pushed his hand away.

"Buffy's gonna kill you." She threatened.

Warren smiled. "Not if I kill her first." The man stood walking away causally. Jonathan takes one last glance towards a bleeding Xander and Dawn kneel next to his head. He gave them an apologetic look and ran off to catch up with the others.

At the Summers house Xander and Dawn open the door. "Buffy? We found Warren. Actually, my face kinda found him -"

"Buffy?" Dawn glanced around.

Xander stopped noticing Spike's leather jacket hanging on the banister. He picked it up grimly and runs up the stairs.

Walking down the hall he noticed the bathroom night illuminating from underneath the closed door. He opened the door. "What's Spike's jacket doing -" He pauses seeing Buffy sitting on the floor looking troubled.

Xander noticed a large, ugly bruise on the inside on her thigh. "What did he do?" He felt the rage pump through him in waves. Buffy quickly covered it up with her loose hanging robe. "Did he hurt you?"

"He tried. He didn't…."

"Son of a bitch." Xander turned to storm out with the intention to hunt down the vampire.

"Don't." Buffy whispered. Xander turned. "Please, just…. Don't." Xander stared at the broken girl. He would give anything to make her smile and laugh again.

"Hey, I think we found something -" Dawn paused at the door next to Xander staring down at Buffy. "What happened?"

"Nothing." Buffy immediately said. Xander watched her replace her tears with a stern frown. "What'd you find out?"

"Warren and the nerds are doing something tonight and -"

"Dawnie can you please call Willow and let her know." Xander interrupted never moving his gaze from Buffy.

"Okay. Sure." Dawn turned away.

Xander moved to sit next to Buffy on the floor. His arm wrapped around her shoulders. The Slayer instantly rested her head on his collarbone letting him shield her from everything. Xander softly pressed his mouth against her forehead, whispering soothing words.

Buffy turned into his shoulder sobbing heavily. Xander smoothed his hand up and down her arm in a simple motion. "Shh…. Everything will be okay. Shh…. I'm here. I love you." Xander whispered into her hair. "Shh…."

The front door slammed shut. "Guys?" Willow yelled.

"In here." Dawn responded. There voices echoed into the bathroom were Xander sat against the tub holding a distraught Buffy.

"We should…." Buffy mumbled agains his shirt.

"Yeah." Xander stood up first and held out his hands to help Buffy to her feet.

Moving to the door Buffy paused and face the dark haired man behind her. "I love you." Buffy sighed. Xander smirked and moved to kiss her.

"We were able to decipher pretty much everything except these." Willow held a set of papers with symbols scribbled on them showing the gang seated around the dinning room table.

"It isn't written in any ancient language we could identify."

Xander smiled chuckling. "It's Klingon. They're love poems. Which has nothing to do with the insidious scheme you're about to describe." Xander sat down and rested his arms on top of Buffy's chair.

"What do you got for me that doesn't rhyme?"

"Uh, this." Tara held up a computer disk.

"It was filled with encoded blueprints and schematics." Willow passed the pile of papers to Buffy.

"To what?"

"Um, banks, armored car routes, corporate vaults…. This is big." Tara explained looking at Buffy.

"They're looking to score some serious dinero. We don't thing they're planning just one job." Willow said.

"Spree, anyone?" Xander stifled his laugh at his own joke. Buffy gave him a 'seriously?' look. Xander smiled and shrugged.

"I, I can't cover all of these at once."

"You don't have to. We think there's one they may hit tonight." Willow started.

"It's time sensitive." Tara finished.

Xander looked at Buffy with a knowing expression. "Be careful. Warren's gone all Mighty Mouse. Emphasis on the might."

"Good. Then I won't hold back."


	16. Chapter 16 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 16**

Warren effortlessly lifted the back of the truck. The wheels screeched as the driver accelerated the wheels in the air. Warren titled the truck to the left still lifting it high over head and finally let it fall on its side.

Jonathan and Andrew watched amazed. "Man, I can't wait to get my hands on his orbs." Andrew whispered.

Jonathan sorted. "Yeah, I'm sure he'll be giving 'em up any second now."

Warren ripped open the back door letting the money spill out.

"Hey." Buffy stood on top of the overturned truck. "Is this your bank? 'Cause if not, there's gonna be a fee for that." Buffy leaped down to Warren. Warren catches her and throws her over his head.

"I was wondering when Super Bitch would show up."

"You really got a problem with strong women, don't you?" Buffy stood.

"Nothing I can't handle." Warren swung his arm missing Buffy's head. The Slayer catches his arm but she missed Warren's other fist he followed up with a kick to her stomach.

"You seem a little off. This a bad day?"

Buffy jumped to her feet. "It's getting better." She kicked him and grabbed Warren by his collar and threw him away from her. Buffy retaliates, picking up the broken truck back door and hit Warren with it.

He flew back into a stone gate. Warren got to his feet staring at the Slayer. "That all you got?" The stone gate collapsed on him.

"No!" Andrew cried.

"There's two ways this can end. And right now? I'm thinking they're both gonna hurt."

Andrew smiled. "I think you're right." Buffy turned to follow his gaze. Warren emerged from the rubble.

"What's the matter baby? You never fight a real man before?" Warren quickly jumped back into action throwing strong punches. Buffy ducks and dodges and fought back throwing equally strong kicks. She catches his arm twisting behind him and kicked in his lower back.

"Wow. That almost hurt, kitten."

Jonathan surprisingly leaped on Buffy's back. Grabbing her around the neck. "Whoa! Sparky, I didn't think you had it in you." Warren said amused.

"The orbs! Smash his orbs." Jonathan whispered in the Slayer's ear before she threw him off. Warren closed in on her with multiple punches. Buffy fell back against a bench.

"Say good night, bitch." Warren pulled his fist back for the final blow. Buffy spotted the orbs on his belt. She quickly snatched them and glanced up at him before smashing them.

Blue light flashes and disappears as did Warren's mystical strength. Buffy stood up. "Good night, bitch." She spin-kicked him across the amusement park. "You're nothing but a sad little boy, Warren. But it's time you grow up, and pay for what you've done." Buffy advanced causally towards him.

"Get away from me!" Warren pulled his jacket off and takes out his jet-pack switch. "I swear to go I'm gonna take you down. You piece of…." Warren activated his jet-pack.

"Oh, come on." Buffy watched him take off.

"Well played, Slayer!" Andrew pulled off his jacket as well. Buffy raised her brows amused.

"Why did I get one of those?" Jonathan whined.

"This round to you. But the game is far from over." Andrew started his jet-pack but was very unsuccessful hitting the roof overhand. On cue the police surrounded the premises taking the duo into custody.

The following day, the sun shined high in the sky. Buffy in her backyard poking through the bushes with a giant stick. Xander crept up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. Buffy smiled gently letting her head fall back against his collarbone.

"Time for the Spring Poking already?" Xander mumbled against her grey sweatshirt.

"Just making sure there are no more Evil Trio cameras. Or Evil Uno." Buffy turned in his arms.

"The sinister yet addictive card game?"

"Warren. Jonathan and Andrew got clinked, but…. Warren pulled a Rocket Man."

Xander played the blonde hair that fell from her ponytail. "You'll find him. He won't be much good without his friends."

"No, he won't." Buffy said softly.

Xander took her hand in his and pulled her to the wooden bench. He stared at her for a long moment. Watching Buffy fidgeted nervously.

"How did we get here?" Xander broke the silence.

Buffy met his longing gaze. "Scenic route. Long drive."

"The past few weeks…."

"I know." Buffy agreed softly.

"It's just…. I haven't been this nervous around a girl since I asked you out to the Spring Fling." Xander looked up with a small smile.

"Oh god." Buffy laughed lightly. She placed her hands on top of his. "I'm sorry about that by the way. I just wish…." She played with his fingers. "I wish I've felt this way sooner." Buffy moved her eyes slowly to his.

"Hey. We're here now, feeling this way." Xander reasoned. Buffy straightened herself looking at him seriously.

"I want us to take steps."

"Okay…. What kind of steps?" Xander tried to follow where she was getting at.

"You know, relationship-y kind of steps. With the dating and the nervous banter…. You take me home at the end of the night and we beat around, the bush because I don't want you to go and you don't want to go. So instead we share our first kiss…." Buffy looked at him dreamily.

"Okay, since we've already had our first kiss. How 'bout you invite me in for 'coffee'" Xander air quoted. "And we -" Buffy cut him off with a small kiss.

"You got it Casanova." She leaned into him once, more taking his lips.

"Oh my god." Willow and Tara stood on the porch, jaws open to the ground. Buffy and Xander broke apart staring at the witches in horror.

Something near the wooden gate caught Xander's attention his eyes widened alarmed. "Buffy!"

Warren angrily walked towards them. "You think you just do that to me? You think I'd let you get away with that? Think again." Warren hauntingly laughs and raises his gun and fired. Instinctively Buffy pushed Xander down.

Warren ran off wildly firing his gun.

"Sweat fancy Moses! Where the hell did he -" Xander stopped noticing Buffy on the ground on her back staring up to the sky. "Oh god!"

"Buffy!" Willow and Tara ran down the steps.

Xander kneels over his girlfriend pressing his hand against the thick blooded wound. "Oh god. Buffy? Buffy? Buffy?" Xander turned his head to Willow and Tara. "Call the ambulance, NOW!"


	17. Chapter 17 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 17**

Tara ran back into the house.

"Oh god." Willow kneeled next to Xander helping him stop the bleeding.

"Buffy? Buffy? Oh god, baby…." Xander quickly drying bloody hand touched her blonde hair.

"It's going to be okay Xander." Willow placed her hand on her best friends shoulder supportively. Willow glanced down to Buffy noticing her eyes slowly closing. "Buffy stay awake."

"Baby, you have to stay awake." Xander took her hand. "Look at me, look at me." Buffy stared up at the sky in the state of tranquillity. "Buffy…."

"The ambulance will be here in a few minutes." Tara came back outside. "Oh god. Buffy." Her hand moved over her mouth.

Willow stood and wrapped her arms around Tara's shoulder shielding her from the horror. "Shit. She's bleeding a lot." Xander heard the ambulance sirens. "Will."

"Okay." Willow pressed her hand over Buffy's bullet wound. Xander moved past Tara and ran to the gate.

He met two paramedics at the gate. "She's in the back. This way!" Xander ran back with the paramedics behind him.

"She was shot?"

"Yeah, in the chest." Xander sad.

"Accidental?"

"No, no, it was a…. He was trying to kill her." Xander watched the paramedics helplessly as they checked her pulse and such.

"Pulse is 100 and weak. Lung sounds are wet." The paramedic looked at his colleague across from him.

"What does that mean?" Willow stood next to Xander worried.

"Is she going to…."

"Sir, you need to stand back, okay? If you want us to help her out, we need some space." The paramedic that checked Buffy's weak pulse and glanced up at Xander.

Feeling overwhelmed Xander stepped back putting his stained hand over his mouth, trying to clear his head.

"Let's get her out of here." The paramedics carefully placed Buffy on the gurney.

"Sunnydale Memorial, do you copy? We have a caucasian female, 21, GSW to the chest."

Xander immediately took Buffy's delegate hand. "Come on, Buff, hang on. We're going to get you the hospital. You're gonna be okay." He reached to brush aside the fallen strands of her hair.

"Xander." Willow got his attention. "How did this happen?" Willow asked quietly.

"Warren. He had a gun. I couldn't stop him. That son of a bitch." Xander muttered angrily.

"We have to go, are you coming with us or not?" The paramedic in the back with Buffy asked.

"We'll meet you." Tara said taking Willow's hand pulling her to the Jeep in the driveway. Xander climbed in the back and took Buffy's hand and kissed her knuckles, silently praying. _Warren's a deadman._

"And you killed the Slayer?" The bartender asked amused. Warren smiled proud.

"With these hands." Warren held his hands out on the counter.

"What are you, a warlock?"

Warren sat back in his seat. "It's funny you mention that. You know, I've explored all the dark arts…. Witchcraft, demonology. You name it, I tried it against the Slayer. But you know what I found _really_ works?" The bartender and the vampire next to him lean closer curious. "Gun."

The vampire smiled. "You killed the Slayer with a gun."

"In her own backyard. Don't underestimate science, my friend. Good old-fashioned metal meets propulsion."

The bartender and vampire start to hysterically laugh. Unsurely, Warren joins their laugh.

"Man, this is gonna be good." The bartender leaned to the vampire.

"Oh, the best. This town is ours." Warren said.

"Our, maybe. You are screwed." The vampire looked at Warren and started to laugh again. Warren sat there confused. "You're a dead man." The vampire's laugh grew harder watching the confusion strain on Warren's face.

"It was just on the news. Girl was shot." The bartender started.

"In her backyard." The vampire finished. "She survived. She's in the hospital."

"Slayers heal fast. Real fast." The bartender whipped down the counter top.

"Might want to get a head start, my friend. 'Cause this girl is gonna be coming for you, big time." The vampire chuckled taking a sip of his beer.

Xander watched from the window as the doctors operated on his girlfriend. He ignored the hand on his arm trying to pull him away from the glass. "Xander."

"He did this." Xander muttered never taking his eyes off of Buffy lying on the table.

"Xander?"

"I have to -" Xander saw the doctor come out of the emergency room. "Doctor…."

The doctor turned. "It was deep. The bullet did not damage anything major."

"Will she be okay?"

"She's stable…. Not awake, but she'll be -"

"That's not good enough!" Xander shouted angrily.

"Xander." Willow held him back and looked at the doctor sympathetically. "Thank you." The doctor nodded and left them in the hallway. "What's the matter with you?" Willow roughly turned Xander to face her.

"She was shot. And what? She's not awake but hey! She's stable. It's not -" Xander noticed something in the emergency room. "Buffy?" He removed his arm from Willow's grasp and burst into the emergency room.

Buffy sat on the table looking around confused. "What happened?" Buffy looked up at Xander disoriented.

"Buffy!" Xander cupped her jaw with both of his hands. "Oh god." He then hugged her tightly. "I was so worried." He mumbled kissing the back of her neck.

Buffy maneuvered her arm around his neck. "I'm okay." She laced her fingers through his hair. Xander pressed his forehead against hers, breathing in her faint vanilla scent.

Willow watched the couple for a moment before making herself known to them. "You've got to stop doing this. This dying thing's funny once, maybe twice." Willow joked.

Buffy smiled. "The doctor just said…. How?" Willow shifted her gaze from Buffy to Xander.

"I sped up the healing process." Tara entered the room and glanced to Xander.

Xander stood straight. "It's time to find Warren." Buffy moved to stand unsteadily. "Be careful." Xander took her hand.

"I'm fine." Buffy gave him a crooked half smile. Xander started to move to the door purposefully. "Where are you going?" Buffy's voice made Xander stop.

"To find Warren. It's time that he saw what the inside of a jail cell looked like." Xander left Buffy, Willow, and Tara in the emergency room.

Buffy reached for his hand. "And he will. Let's go home first. Dawn's probably back by now and I don't want her alone." He titled his head to the side unconvinced. Buffy smiled softly placing her hand on his cheek. "We'll find him. Together."

Xander wrapped his arm around pulling her into his chest. Buffy's arms tightly squeezed around his waist and closed her eyes feeling Xander's lips against her forehead.

"So you guys?" Willow broke the couple's moment. They looked at the red head. "Uh, you know…. Together?"

"We've got a lot of explaining to do." Buffy muttered. "When we get back. We'll talk." The gang nodded in agreement and began to exit the emergency room. "Can't believe I almost died again. I'm like a cat with nine…. No, no, seven and a half lives." Buffy pouted. Xander grinned and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.


	18. Chapter 18 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 18**

"Dawn?" Buffy said entering the house.

"Maybe she went to the hospital to find you." Xander went into the kitchen.

"No, she'd be back by now." Buffy stood in the foyer.

"Or she could be with Janice." Willow moved into the living room sitting on the couch.

"Dawn?" Buffy called her sisters name again. Dawn appeared at the stop of the staircase.

"Buffy?" Dawn slowly walked down the stairs noticing the giant red stain on Buffy's sweatshirt. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Dawn wrapped her arms around the blondes neck hugging her tightly. "Come on let's go sit."

The gang sat around the coffee table deep in thought. "We need to find Warren." Buffy said.

"Warren's a dead man." Xander mumbled, sitting back in his chair.

"Good." Dawn agreed bitterly.

"Dawn, don't say that." Tara placed her hand over the teenagers knee.

"Why not? I'd do it myself if I could."

"Because you don't really feel that way." Buffy moved her hand to Dawn's cheek.

Dawn shifted away from her sisters touch. "Yes I do. And you should too. He nearly killed you. He needs to pay."

"Out of the mouths of babes."

"Xander." Buffy eyes met his.

"He's just as bad as any vampire you've sent to dustville."

"Being a Slayer doesn't give me a license to kill. Warren's human."

"Hardly." Xander stood spiteful.

"So the human world has its own rules for dealing with people like him." Willow watched her best friend pace angrily. Xander stopped and smirked.

"We all know how well those rules work."

"Sometimes they do. Sometimes they don't. We can't control the universe."

"There are l - limits to what we can do." Tara explained to Dawn.

"There should be." Buffy noticed the agitated glint in Xander's eyes.

He met Buffy's stare. "I've had blood on my hands all day. Blood from people I love."

"I know. Warren's going to get what he deserves. I promise." Xander nodded unpersuaded and walked out of the room.

"I'm gonna change." Buffy stood moving to the stairs.

"We'll find him Buffy." Willow's voice stopped Buffy for a moment before continuing to walk up the stairs.

Not long after Buffy went up the stairs to change out of her bloody sweatshirt she heard Willow yell her name from down the stairs.

Buffy ran down the stairs finding Dawn, Willow, and Tara look at her in a panic. "What?" Buffy said feeling anxious.

"Xander's gone. He took your axe." Willow said. Buffy glanced to her wide open weapon's chest. Her favorite axe was missing.

"Damn it Xander." Buffy took her coat off of the hanger near the door.

"Buffy?"

"I need to find Xander." She went to the door.

"You don't think…." Willow began. Buffy turned the red heads direction.

"He's full of rage. I…. I will _not_ let Xander destroy himself because of this. Stay here with Dawn." Buffy walked out the front door on the search for Xander.

Xander marched heavily down the street, moving on gut instinct to find Warren. Images flashed in his mind of Warren at the gate, then shooting his gun. He felt the stomach sickening feeling of Buffy's wet, thick, powerful blood soaking on his hands. Then his thoughts moved to Spike. When he saw Buffy sitting on the bathroom floor against the bathtub looking so…. Vulnerable. He wanted to kill Spike so much but Buffy held him back.

It's the last straw for Xander Harris.


	19. Chapter 19 Prospects of The Visions

**Chapter 19**

Striding down Main Street, Xander saw in the corner of his eye Warren exiting a bar and walking down into an alleyway afraid. "Bingo." Xander stealthily followed.

"Oh god!" Warren yelled in nervous frustration. Xander followed Warren to a dead end.

"Not exactly but I'm sure you'll never see him." Warren fearfully turned at the sound of Xander's angry voice.

"You."

"Me." Xander kicked Warren in the stomach causing him to fall back against the brick wall. Xander followed up with an upper cut using the blunt end of the axe than kicked his stomach again.

Warren struggled to sit up. "Please…."

Xander picked the broken man up and shoved him against the brick wall choking him with the axe handle. "You don't deserve to beg." Xander punched his nose. A loud crack and Warren's cries echoed in the ally ways. "Did that hurt?" Xander squeezed Warren's shattered nose. "Did you get off on it? Shooting my girlfriend?" Xander kneed him again.

"I - I'm sorry…." Warren's agonized voice whispered.

"Save it. Your apologizes won't do you any good now." Xander used the blunt part of the axe to whack across Warren's already severely bloody face. "Get up." Xander ordered calmly.

Warren made no effort.

"Get. Up." Warren moved his hands to help him off the ground but he only fell back down weak and broken. Xander pulled him up effortlessly by the collar forcing him against the brick wall. "You're a worthless son of a bitch. You don't deserve to live. Lucky for you, I've gonna make sure that you don't." Xander raised the axe.

"Xander!"

Xander turned to the sound of the sweet voice. Buffy came into the dim light calmly. "Buffy."

"Xander, this is not the way." Buffy slowly walked closer to the raging man.

"He doesn't deserve to live. He almost killed you." Xander desperately explained.

"We don't kill humans no matter how evil they are."

"Buffy you don't understand! Warren is a bad guy, bad guys die. End of discussion."

"No." Buffy now stood close to Xander looking up at him wide eyed and emphatic.

"He almost killed you. Nearly took you away from me." Xander took a breath. "I don't think I could stand that pain again. I don't know - god Buffy…." The axe dropped from his hand as he fell to his knees wrapping his arms around the Slayer's waist burying his face against her stomach

Buffy fingers laced into his dark hair soothingly playing with his short hair. "I love you." She whispered. Xander looked up at her and steadily stood seizing her mouth vehemently.

"God I love you." Xander said between their kisses.

A few moment's later a squad of police officers ran down the ally. Buffy and Xander moved apart.

"This him?" An officer approached the couple.

"Yes, that's him." Buffy said. The officer nodded and bent down to handcuff the damaged man. The officer noticed the axe on the ground. "What were you planning on doing with that?" He looked at Buffy and Xander.

"It was his." Buffy didn't hesitate. "Warren brought it with him." The officer picked up the axe as evidence and handed it to another officer next to him.

He pulled out his walkie-talkie. "We captured the attacker who will be taken in with a ADW." The officer looked at Buffy and Xander. "Can you come with us to the station for a statement."

"Yeah…. Sure, anything." Xander agreed. The officer nodded and escorted the couple out of the ally and to the police car.


	20. Chapter 20 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 20**

In the early hours of the morning Buffy and Xander entered the front door of the Summers home. "I'll get you a new axe." Xander reasoned.

"No, you don't get it Xander, that was my favorite axe. Why couldn't you use one of the other ones?" Buffy quipped irritatedly.

"Oh, I'm sorry Rage Man didn't take the other, less favorable axe to chop the man who almost killed you into little pieces." Xander said sarcastically. "I was defending your honor."

"You can't defend my honor every time my life's threatened because it is then _very_ tiring and I would never see you because you'll be fighting everything that almost kills me." Buffy quickly spat.

"Come here." Buffy immediately followed Xander's command moving into his arms, letting him devour her mouth.

"Upstairs." Buffy whispered against his lips.

Xander smiled devilishly. "Thought you'd never ask." Buffy took his hand pulling him up the stairs.

The bedroom door of Buffy's room bursted open. Xander pushed Buffy against the wall kissing her eagerly. Buffy's hands crept to the hem of Xander's shirt and she pulled up, over his head tossing it to the floor.

Smiling against the Slayer's mouth his hands slip under Buffy's black shirt lifting it up, over her head.

His hands expertly trailed down Buffy's sides and under her butt lifting her. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. Xander moved them from the wall to the bed. He laid her down, leaving her lips to explore her neck down to her collar bone and then to the curve of her breasts.

Buffy's hands weaved through Xander's hair before pulling him back up to her lips again. Xander's fingers played with the button of Buffy's jeans. "Mmm…." He groaned as he unzipped her jeans. Buffy used her strength to flip him on his back. Her mouth kissed and licked its own pathway down to his bellybutton. "Oh god Buffy…." Xander didn't think he could get any harder. Buffy smiled proudly as she unfastened his jeans pulling them down his thighs and to his ankles. Her hands steadily ran up Xander's thighs to the rim of his boxers.

Xander sat up, pulling the hair tie from her short, curled hair. He entwined his fingers through her hair watching her. Her eyes met his as her fingers lightly gripped the boxer rim, pulling them down as well, freeing Xander's harden member. She smirked and bent up to his mouth.

Xander's arms circled the tiny woman pulling her in-between his legs rolling her to her back. He followed the same fluent, seductive motions Buffy performed moments before.

The moment that Buffy has been waiting for since the Halloween Magic Box sale and Xander has been waiting for since Sophomore year of high school was about to happen.

They laid naked in each others arms; Xander on top of Buffy.

Her legs opened wide giving Xander her silent permission to enter her. He gladly obliged with one full push.

Buffy groaned against his shoulder, muffling her pleasant cries. Xander instead found her mouth again and began a steady rhythmic motion. Buffy's hands ran down his built shoulders and back around his neck. Her hips moved against his at the same pace wanting to keep the feeling of him inside her.

Their easing motions became frantic, approaching their rapture quickly. Xander refused to climax, desperately not wanting to lose the feeling of Buffy surrounding him. "Xander…." Buffy moaned in his ear. That was it.

Xander came hard and so did Buffy, seconds later.

Their pace slowed, riding out their ecstasy. Xander felt Buffy's hot breath against his neck. His hand grazed up Buffy's arm to her cheek. He kissed her lovingly before removing himself from on top of her and to her side.

Buffy rested her cheek against his naked chest, listening to the easy beat of his heart. A small smile formed across Buffy's lips. "Mmm…. That was fantastic."

Xander pressed his mouth against her hair. "That was. God you're beautiful." He wrapped both of his arms around his tiny girlfriend.

"I'm sleepy."

"Then sleep." Xander muttered into her hair.

"I don't wanna." Buffy titled her chin up to look at Xander. "I wanna stay awake and be awake with you."

"I'm not going anywhere." Xander knew Buffy's unspoken fear. "When you wake in a little while. I'll be here. In this exact position, with you in my arms, promise." He kissed her forehead again. "Go to sleep."

Buffy stared at him for a long moment. "I love you."

"Love you, too." Xander tightly squeezed his arms. They closed their eyes almost immediately falling fast into a deep slumber. Comfortable and content, a personal feeling they haven't felt in a long while.


	21. Chapter 21 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 21**

"Mmm…." Buffy stirred opening her eyes slowly to only see Xander still asleep. Keeping his promise of not leaving her alone. She smiled and tentatively pressed her mouth against his chin.

A steady grin stretched across his lips. His hands slid up Buffy's naked back to the back of her neck. Xander tilted his chin down more, to kiss her mouth fully. Buffy moved more on top of Xander, straddling his waist. Her hands went to either sides of Xander's head.

Xander opened his mouth wider deepening their kiss. Their tongues fought for dominance.

The bedroom door suddenly burst open. The couple in the bed broke apart turning their heads to see a shocked Dawn. Her mouth hung wide open.

"Oh my god." Dawn's hand went to her mouth.

"Dawn." Buffy moved off of Xander and covered her bare breasts.

"You and…. Xan - Xander?" Dawn removed her hand.

"Ye - yes." Buffy said carefully knowing this was a huge bomb just unexpectedly dropped.

"I'm just gonna…." Dawn hazily turned to the door. "Go." She pointed than quickly exited.

Buffy and Xander let out their held in breath, resting their backs agains the head of the bed.

"That went well." Xander said. Buffy gave him a look. "What?" Xander shrugged and kissed her before removing the covers, getting out of bed. Buffy sat back and watched him move around the bedroom uncaring about his nudity.

Xander sensed her hungry stare, he glanced to her and smirked wickedly before pulling on his boxers. "Come on gorgeous, time to get dressed." Xander took her hand pulling her out of bed. Buffy giggled, letting him take her away.

Willow, Tara, and Dawn sat on the couch with their hands folded on top of their knees. Buffy and Xander sat in the chairs across from them fidgeting with their fingers.

"How long?" Dawn whispered.

Buffy glanced to Xander before responding. "Since the wedding." The girls eyes went wide.

"You mean…." Willow began unable to finish her question. Luckily, Xander got the idea.

"I left Anya…. For Buffy."

"Oh my god. When did you…. Were you together before? I mean…. Oh my god." Willow rushed out. Tara took her hand supportively.

"No. We where not together before the wedding." Buffy paused. "I've been having feelings for Xander since Halloween. I don't how or why…. But, I was." Beat. "I didn't think Xander felt that way about me. I knew he was with Anya. I didn't want to be the one that broke them up. My plan was to be Anya's maid of honor and watch Xander marry and eventually my feelings would go back to whatever they were before…."

"We thought you loved Anya." Tara glanced at Xander.

"I did…. I do…. Anya will always have a place in my heart. But I - I was having fears before the wedding, before Buffy. Then this guy comes up to me, telling me that he was me in the future…. He showed me what it could be in the future if I married Anya. It was as I feared. I couldn't make her happy…."

"Xander, he could have been a bad guy or…."

"Then he showed me the future if I were to marry Buffy." A small smile appeared. "We were happy," He looked at Buffy dreamily. "We had two children, Sarah and Josh. We spent thirty years happily married. Sitting in the kitchen drinking coffee, talking about when our kids and grandchildren were visiting." Xander took her hand. Then looked back at Willow, Tara, and Dawn. "I couldn't marry Anya because I was - I am still in love with Buffy."

A grin appeared on Dawns lips. "So you guys are official?"

Xander looked at Buffy. "Yes." Buffy said with confidence.

"Does Anya know?"

"Yeah, she found out from Spike." Xander said almost too casually.

"Spike? How does Spike know?" Willow titled her head to the side.

"S - Spike saw us walking in the cemetery all holding hands." Buffy said quickly.

"Oh."


	22. Chapter 22 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 22**

**Four ½ Months Later**

"It's about power. Who's got it. Who knows how to use it. So…." Buffy stood next the graves headstone, her arms crossed causally over her chest. Xander sat on the headstone, kicking the heels of his shoes against the stone watching the vampire rise from its grave.

Dawn sighs. "Well, I've got the stake."

"The stake is not the power." Buffy corrected.

"But he's new. He doesn't know his strength. H - he might not know all those fancy martial arts skills they inevitably seem to pick up."

"Who's got the power?"

Dawn rolled her eyes. "He does."

"Never forget it." Buffy moved closer to her younger sister. "Doesn't matter how well prepped you are or how well armed you are. You're a little girl."

"Woman."

"Little woman."

"I'm taller than you." Xander smirked listening to their bickering.

"He's a vampire, ok? Demon. Preternaturally strong. Skilled with powers no human could possibly ever -"

"Excuse me." The Summers sisters shifted their attention to the vampire in the grave. "I think I'm stuck."

"You're stuck?" Buffy's brows rose up. Xander snorted his laugh.

"My foot's caught on a root or something, and…. I don't even know how I got down there. If you girls could just give me a hand…."

"Hm. So, he's got the power?"

"Zip it." Buffy gave her sister a look. Xander jumped off the headstone reaching out his hand to the vampire pulling him out. The vampire dusted himself off.

"I really appreciated it." The vampire politely said. Xander smiled moving back to his spot on the headstone. "It's just it's so dark, and I don't even know what I'm doing here."

"It'll all come to you soon." Xander supplied.

The vampire smiled again fixing his dirty tie. "Thanks. That was a help." Xander simply nodded. The vampire turned back to the girls and smirked darkly. "Unfortunately it was the last -" Buffy grabbed by his throat. "- thing you'll ever do." The vampire's voice went scratchy.

"Listen up. I'm the Slayer. You don't want to get into it with me."

"Nope. You really don't." Buffy glanced over the vampires shoulder at Xander. She shifted her attention back to the vampire dangling in the air.

"You want blood? You can have hers." Buffy removed her hand from the vampire and stepped away towards Xander. "Power. He's got it. You don't have it, so -" The vampire charged the teen. Dawn bent down and flipped the vampire over her back. "- use that. Perfect."

Dawn moved to stake him. "Ooh, not the heart." She panicked. The vampire smirks pushing the teen on her back.

Xander and Buffy stood near a tree away from the fight. "I think it's time for Slayer time." Xander suggested. Buffy did not respond

"Buffy!" The vampire overpowers her when she tried to stake him again.

Buffy came up from behind grabbing the vampire's coat, pulling him away from Dawn. Buffy effortlessly fought the vampire and rolled to the sword on top of the weapons bag and cuts off the vampire's head.

Turning to Dawn, Buffy reached out her hand helping the young girl up. "It's real. It's the only lesson, Dawn. Let me see."

"It's nothing, it's just a scrape. Plus, I had a plan the whole time."

"Really?" They walked to Xander.

Xander stood from the headstone and moved around Dawn next to Buffy. "Yeah, I planned to get killed, come back as a vampire, and bite you."

Xander took Buffy's hand. "You Summers women…. Very violent." The girls lightly giggled.

"You wanted to be trained." Buffy noticed the defensive look forming on Dawn's face. "You did pretty well." She spatted out quickly.

"I did?"

"Yeah, Dawnster." Dawn turned ahead of the couple smiling walking backwards.

"'Cause, you know, with the whole rolling thing, I was actually using his strength, and it was very tai chi. Plus I nearly got the heart."

"My first time out, I missed the heart too."

"No way."

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer missed the heart? Her aim was off…. What?" Xander teased.

"Just the once."

"Well, the next vampire I meet -"

Xander gave Buffy a worried look. "The next vampire you meet, you run away. I just wish that was had to worry about. Vampires, demons…. They're nothing compared to what's coming." Buffy glanced up at Xander uneasy.

"I know. I just can't believe it's back." Dawn realized.

"Come on. It can't be that bad." Xander waved his free hand. He received perplexed stares. "Yeah okay…."

"Believe me, I thought I was long past it. I guess you never are. Just a few more days 'til it starts."

"Ghosts, demons, vampires, cults, invisible people, dummy's…. The lists can go on." Xander said.

"We'll never know what's coming next." Buffy sighed exiting the cemetery with her boyfriend and sister.

"It is my great pleasure and privilege to announce the official opening - on the very ground that it first stood upon - of the brand new state of the art Sunnydale High!" The principal cut the huge red ribbon.


	23. Chapter 23 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 23**

"Dawn!" Buffy stood at the bottom of the stairs yelling up. "Come on! Xander!"

"Just a minute." Dawn hollered back.

"Xander! You need to take Dawn to school."

"Okay dear." Xander answered back. Buffy moved from the banister and into the kitchen searching through the cabinets. Heavy steps from the stairs landed on the wooden floors. Buffy moved from the kitchen meeting Xander in the dinning room. "G'morning!" Xander grinned leaning down for a kiss while fiddling with his tie.

Buffy dreamily smiled slowly breaking away from his lips. "Mmm…. Good morning indeed." Xander smirked. Buffy's hands moved up his chest and around his tie adjusting it for him. "You're unconscionably spiffy."

"Client meeting."

"Oh," Buffy pulled Xander down by his necktie to her lips. Gaging noises sounded behind the couple. Dawn squirmed moving around them. "Oh, please." Buffy rolled her eyes.

"Get a room."

"No time." Buffy quipped. "You're gonna to be late."

Dawn shrugged at ease. "I'm comfortable with that." The teen said entering the living room.

"Well, you gotta eat something. I made cereal." Buffy and Xander moved into the kitchen surrounding the counter island.

"How exactly do you make cereal?"

"Ah, you put the box near the milk. I saw it on the food channel. Want something?"

"Coffee please." Xander sat on the stool watching Buffy move around the kitchen. He noticed the tension in her body language. "You okay?"

"My sister's about to go to the same high school that tried to kill me for three years. I can't change districts, I can't afford private school, and I can't being to prepare for what could possibly come out of there. So, peachy with a side of keen, that would be me."

Xander went back into the dinning room as Buffy finished the dishes. "Buff." Buffy turned off the foist entering the dinning room. "Well here's a little something for what ails ya." Xander waved the tube of papers in his hand.

"Mmm. You got the rest." Xander unrolled the plans of the high school.

"Take a look." Buffy looked over her boyfriends shoulder.

"Hey double-O Xander."

"Go. Talk with your mouth full." Buffy pointed to the kitchen. Dawn rolled her eyes leaving the couple in the dinning room.

"I've got two crews working on this diabolical yet lucrative new campus. One here finishing the Science building. And one here, reinforcing the Gym. There are no pentagrams, no secret passageways. Everything's up to code and safe as houses." Xander explained.

"Nothing creepy? Strange? From beyond?"

"Maybe you're just paranoid." Dawn mumbled chewing her cereal.

"Well, there is one interesting detail. I managed to scare up the plan from the old high school. You remember the very center of Sunnydale's own hellmouth?" Xander placed the old and new plans against the window to see through them.

"Under the library."

"Right. So I lined up the plans, new and old. And right exactly where the library was, we now have…."

"Principal's office."

"So the principal's evil?"

"Or in a boatload of danger."

"Well the last two principals were eaten. Who would even apply for the job?"

"Miss Trunchbull?" Buffy watched Xander's brows rise questionably. Buffy pouted. "Guess we'll see. Good work Agent Harris."

"Live to serve."

"Hmm." Buffy titled her chin upward, signaling for Xander to kiss her.

"Can you guys not make out for like, a minute?"

Buffy and Xander broke apart looking at the teenager. "You have everything? Books, lunch, stakes?"

"Checked thrice."

Xander leaned down whispering into the Slayer's ear "Did you give her the…."

"No, I was saving it." Buffy smiled at him moving to a drawer.

"What is it?"

"Back to school gift."

"It's a weapon, isn't it?" Dawn's grin glowed.

"Yes, it is." Buffy handed the small box to Dawn.

Xander pulled the car up to the curb and turned off the ignition. They got out of the car. "Now, remember, if you see anything strange…. Or, you know…. Dead."

"I got it."

"And stay away from hyena people, or any lizard-type athletes, you know, or if you see anyone that's invisible." Xander warned walking with his girls to the school's entrance.

"Hey, guys, I think it's pretty safe to say that I'm not going to see anybody that's invisible."

"You know, you could still drop out." Buffy took Dawns wrist stopping her.

"Only nerds finish high school." Xander waved off.

"You know, I don't really think it's fair for you guys to try and scare me on my first day of high school. 'Cause it is so redundant."

"The place is evil." Buffy stressed.

"Tough to let 'em go, huh?" The three glanced at the stranger behind them.

"Hi." Buffy said wearily.

"I'm Robin Wood. New principal."

"Oh, uh, Buffy Summers. This is Dawn and my boyfriend Xander Harris."

"Nice to meet you."

"Hi." Xander took the principals hand in a firm shake.

"So you're the new principal. I expected you to be more…. Aged."

"Huh. You two seem a bit young to have such a grown-up daughter."

Buffy's eyes went wide surprised. "Oh. Uh, uh, no. Sister. _My_ sister." Buffy quickly corrected.

"Oh, right, um, of course."

"You didn't really think she's my…. It's my hair. I have mom hair."

"No…." Dawn and Xander said in unison.

"I actually have heard of you, Miss Summers. Graduated from the old high school, am I right?"

"Uh, yeah. How did you -?"

"Well, I better get back to work. Gotta start deadening young minds. It's really nice to meet you two." With that said Robin Wood left. Buffy's eyes followed the principal into the building.

"That was suspicious."

"You betcha. Bye." Dawn walked away from Buffy and Xander through the courtyard.

"Oh, Dawn -"

"I know! You never know what's coming. The stake is not the power. To Serve Man is a cookbook. I love you. Go away."

Buffy crossed her arms watching Dawn disappear as she turned the corner in the hall. Xander's arm wrapped around Buffy's shoulders hugging her to his side. "I'm gonna be on-site all day, so if you have anything…."

"I know. It's just - I want her to be safe." Xander pressed his mouth against her blonde hair. Buffy glanced up at him. "Do I have mom hair?"

Xander smirked. "No. You have Buffy hair. Shampoo commercial Buffy hair."

"Good."

"I gotta go. You staying?"

"Yeah, I wanna…."

"Gotcha."

Xander's hand slid into hers pulling her into his embrace. "I love you."

"Love you, too." She kissed him than watched him go back into the car driving away. Buffy stood there for a moment before an idea sparked into her mind. She causally walked into the building.


	24. Chapter 24 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 24**

"Yeah, tell Benny that we're gonna change the order of the lab stations." Xander instructed him employee.

"You got it." The employee turned away moving towards the office trailer. Xander moved his eyes downward to Buffy who stared up at him with wide eyes.

"So, how's it looking?" Knowing what was on her mind. "Does the place pass inspection?"

"Oh, it's great… If you're a zombie ghost thing!"

"So school's back in session, huh?"

"Seems like old times."

Xander lightly placed his hand on Buffy's lower back guiding her to a private area. "So, zombies or ghosts?"

"I'm not sure. They were in the mirror, but they disappeared. Um, but they touched me, I think. Well, let's just start with dead and pissed."

"They were after you personally?"

"They talked about protection people. Told me to leave."

"Ungrateful jerks." Xander tried a joke. Buffy started at him blankly. "No damage, though?"

"I think I may have destroyed Dawn's social life in all of about 30 seconds, but apart from that, no."

"Ah, being popular isn't so great. So I've read in books."

"This isn't a coincidence, you know, the school being rebuilt. It means something."

"As in what? Buff, I think you're being a little paranoid -"

"I have every reason to be!" Buffy argued defensively. "Xander this hellhole tried to kill us on a daily basis everyday, for three years. I am not being paranoid."

Xander sighed heavily rubbing his hands down her arms. "I know. But-"

"I'm gonna go - figure this out." Buffy moved away from him leaving the construction site.

"Whoa." Robin jumped back startled.

"Ooh, sorry."

"Miss Summers. I didn't know you were still about."

"Uh, yeah, I was just looking for -"

"I thought in-general it was customary for a person who's graduated to, um, you know, go somewhere else." Robin smiled.

"Well, it's a new campus. I'm just getting to know it. You know, make sure it's safe for my sister."

"That seems unnecessary…."

"Buffy? There you are." Xander came up from behind. "I know you want to see the place but I told you I'd give the tour…."

"Xander."

"Hmm…." Robin eyed the couple suspiciously.

"…I - I'm just so excited to see the new school that I ran off on my own." Buffy explained quickly.

"I see." Robin watched the Slayer for a moment. "You know, I, um, have to be honest. I actually, know a little bit more about you that I let on before."

"Isn't that interesting." Buffy plastered a fake smile.

"Oh, it really is." Xander frowned staring at the principal cynically.

"The school board recommended I spend a little time reading your record. It's, um, quite a page-turner. Kind of a checkered past…."

"Huh. More like a plaid. Kind of a clan tartan of badness, really."

"There were factors." Xander got a bad feeling about this principal as the conversation went on.

Robin looked at Xander skeptically. "It's clear your sister looks up to you, which I think is great." The principal smiled.

"No, she's much, much worse than me. Troublemaker." Xander eyed the Slayer questionably. "Expulsion is really the only way to go. You know, or you can suspend her for… Three years."

"Well, how 'bout we give her a chance first. Just as long as she keeps her grades up, and -" Robin was interrupted by Buffy's cellphone ring.

"Boy, that's loud." Xander tried to ease her embarrassment.

"That's a part of the reason we don't allow cellphones in -"

"Excuse me. Yeah?" Buffy glanced up at the principal. "Oh, sorry. My dog. Uh, dog walker." Buffy covered the cellphone mouthpiece as she muttered into the phone. "Three dead?"

"Oh, my god!"

"Uh, no, we'll be there…. Take this." Buffy passed the phone to Xander.

Xander's brows furrowed as he took the phone from Buffy. "So about these dogs."

Buffy tried to hide her anxious behavior but failed miserably. "Sorry about that. I - I have to…"

"Yeah. No, of course. And, good luck with that… Dog tragedy." Robin watched Buffy pulled Xander's sleeve along quickly power walking out of Robin's eyesight.

"Strange." Robin muttered as he headed into the direction of his office.


	25. Chapter 25 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 25**

Dawn turned to her two new friends. "Help is on the way, you guys. We've just to figure out -" They stopped in their tracks noticing two three ghosts standing in front of them across the room before they disappeared. "Where did they go?"

Buffy and Xander kicked open the restroom door. "Whoa. Contracty goodness." Xander looked down at the giant hole in the ground. Buffy ignored him and bent over the hole trying to see down.

"Dawn!"

"Too late." Buffy jumped to her feet seeing the dead janitor standing on the other side of the hole. "But then, you're always too late, aren't you? Sure as hell didn't save me." A dead janitor spatted bitterly.

"Where's my sister?" Buffy's patients were thin.

"I think she's lost."

"If I'm the one who let you die, why take it out on her? I'm right here. C'mon, what're you after?"

"Fear? Revenge? Tasty brains?" Xander quipped finishing Buffy's sentence.

"I think I'd like Dawn to be my girlfriend."

"Again, wrong sister. I'm the one that dates dead guys. And, no offense, but they were hotties. I mean, I'm sure you had a great personality, but…."

"A…. Hey, boyfriend. Boyfriend standing right here. Current boyfriend." Xander pointed to himself facing Buffy.

She gave him an empathic. "Xand, you know I love you." Buffy took his hand stressing her point.

"Love you, too sweetie." Xander pecked a kiss on Buffy's lips teasingly. He then took her hand and jumped down in to the hole which lead to the basement.

A dead girl approached the couple. "Busy making out with your dead boyfriend-"

"Breathing." Xander corrected.

"- While I was ripped by a werewolf?" She scoffed resentful. "Is that why you let me die?"

A dead nerdy zombie appeared next to the dead girl. "I was screaming for help when they pulled me down -"

Buffy rolled her eyed and made a 'T' with her hands, gesturing for a timeout. "Hello! Not making myself clear. I don't care how you died. I'm sorry for your loss, but where is my sister? Dawn!"

"She's not gonna hear you. This place is like a maze." The dead janitor said. Buffy turned to Xander.

"You said there where no hoops or loops with this place."

Xander shrugged defensively. "There aren't. Buff, the place is on a hellmouth there's gonna be hoops and loops with fire."

"This place is ours now. It was built on our graves." The dead girl intervened with the couple's mini argument.

"Actually, I'm thinking all you want is to get between us and that door." Buffy gazed past the zombie ghost people.

"Who's for finding out why." Xander asked.

The dead nerd lunged at Buffy. She pushed him out of the way. The dead girl jumped on Xander's back. Xander instinctively fell back knocking her off. "Buffy!"

Buffy looked to him signaling him without words. "If at first you don't succeed…." Buffy leaped over them. Xander picked up a pipe and swung it hitting the zombie ghosts heads. "Cheat." Buffy opened the door quickly. Xander slid in after her shutting the door tightly.

They turned for the steel door to Spike.

"Spike? Are you real?" Buffy noticed his long messy hair that was not combed back like it was normally. Spike looked at her funny and began to laugh. He stopped and reaches out to touch his hand tenderly against her cheek

"Spike." Xander surprised the vampire with his voice. Spike took his hand back, cradling it under his chin.

"No visitors today. Terribly busy. Nobody comes in here. It's just the four of us."

"Spike, have you seen Dawn? She came down here with some kids."

"Don't you think I'm trying? I'm not fast. I'm not a quick study." Spike yelled. Xander pulled the Slayer back towards him. Spike looked up slowly with tears in his eyes. "I dropped my board in the water and the chalk all ran. Sure to be caned." He began to laugh again. "Should've seen that coming." Spike turned away from the couple.

Buffy glanced up at Xander before they went to follow the insane vampire.

Buffy bent down noticing scratches over the vampire's pale chest she reached for his shirt to get a better look at his gashes. Xander watched from for her shoulder.

"What did you do?" Xander questioned.

"I tired… I… Tired to cut it out." Buffy stares at Spike for a while before her cellphone rang.

"Dawn? I…" Buffy turned distracted listening to Spike's mumbling banter to Xander. Xander stood there confused but played along. "Where are you? Yeah, they came after me too. So far, to piss me off. I'm damage-bound. I just can't figure them-"

"Buffy?" Xander looked at his girlfriend waved him off continuing her conversation with Dawn.

"…So I don't know what -"

"No ghosts."

"Hold on." Buffy glanced down at Spike.

"You answer to him…" Xander rolled his eyes.

"Shut up honey." Buffy glanced at Xander than back down to Spike. "You know what they are?"

"Manifest spirits controlled by talisman, raised to seek vengeance. A 4-year old could figure it."

Buffy turned back to the phone instructing the teen.

"You gonna help us out?" Xander asked.

"This is my home. I belong here. Always been here. Cheers for stopping by." Spike placed his hangs against the wall. "It's in the wall."

"We'll get back to you." Buffy and Xander moved away from Spike to the steel door ahead.

Breaking the door down, Buffy poked her head in before entering the room. "Guys? Resentful dead guys?"

"Probably don't want to piss them off more than they already are." Xander suggested. In response he received a look from Buffy. "Fine, piss away." Buffy's brows rose with a smirk on her lips. "That didn't come out the way…"

"Come on." Buffy searched around every corner as they passed. "This can't be good. Manifest spirits, raised up, controlled by a… Talisman." An idea sparked. "Can you?"

"Already on it. Be careful." Xander kissed her lips before running to the nearest exit. Buffy watched him for a moment before a scream took her attention.

"Dawn!" Buffy ran to the yells.

"You can thank your sister for this." The dead janitor stood over Dawns head. Buffy entered the room and kicks the janitor away from her younger sister.

"Thanks, sis."

"We just need to keep them at bay."

"The bag!" Dawn tossed her friends bag full of bricks to the Slayer. Buffy swings the bag all around herself hitting the zombie ghost people.

"Do you really want to keep this up?" Buffy asked very annoyed.

"What're you going to do, kill us?"

Meanwhile Xander finally made to the restroom again and dropped to the floor searching for the talisman. He see it under the sink and crawls. "Yes! Talisman." Xander stood holding the talisman. The dead girl jumped on his back attacking him. Xander breaks the talisman in half, and the dead girl vanished from his back.

Down in the basement the dead janitor and nerd vanished in front of the kids eyes. They glanced at each other in complete awe.

"Are they gone?" The boy standing next to Dawn asked.

"Yeah. The talisman must have been destroyed."

"How'd you know it was a talisman?"

"There's always a talisman."

"Hm. Way to go Xander." Dawn smiled.

"C'mon, you guys, let's go find a way upstairs, assuming there is one."

"You really weren't kidding about this place. I guess it hans't changed."

"I don't know." Buffy shrugged. "Seems smaller."


	26. Chapter 26 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 26**

Buffy, Dawn and the two new friends stood in the hallway next to the BASEMENT ACCESS door. "You guys are gonna be okay. School is intense, but you'll do all right as long as you're careful. And you might want to think about sticking together."

"Better listen to her guys." Xander made himself know walking up from behind, placing a gentle hand on Buffy's shoulder.

"Thank you." Dawn's new friend stepped towards Buffy hugging her. Xander smiled at this small sign of appreciation.

"Yeah," The boy grinned. "I mean it. You guys are the coolest parents ever." Buffy glanced up at Xander suddenly self-conscious, she raises her hand to her hair. Xander shook his head. Dawn rolled her eyes saving her sister from further embarrassment.

"Ok. Come on, we still have a few more classes to live through." Dawn ushered her friends away.

"Curiouser and curiouser." Robin walked up to the pair.

"What is?" Buffy asked.

"Carlos Trejo and Kit Holburn, right? Possibly the only two students in this school whose files are as thick as yours was."

"Really did your homework, didn't you?" Xander didn't like how well this guy knew his girlfriend.

"I was looking for one or both of them to actually implode in a fearsome way right before midterms. And now I see that you got 'em socializing and hugging and actually if I'm not mistaken, headed to class."

"Well, we all shared an…encounter."

"Look," The principal leaned in. "I know you're probably more than happy to get out of this place. But, I gotta tell you, Miss Summers, I think you belong here."

Xander practically snorted his laugh at this guys bull crap.

"Listen, I know this school's reputation. What, you think I got this job based on seniority? We got a lot, of troubled students here and just enough money to keep this place from caving in."

"Yeah, you might need a little extra there."

"Xander." Buffy lightly elbowed his side trying not to smile.

"We do have a community outreach program. And the money we could pay you… wouldn't even fold. But it would just be a couple of days a week."

Buffy and Xander stared at Robin dumbfounded. "Are you asking me to be a counselor?"

"Well, we have a guidance counselor, but I was thinking the kids could use someone, you know, closer to their age who still -"

"I'm in!"

"You serious? You did hear the part about the money, right?"

"Yeah, I heard. My schedule might be a little funtastic, but, uh, I'll work it out. I'd like to keep an eye on this place."

"Well, that's great. Look at that. It's not even noon, and I've already bullied my first family member into helping out. I'm going to be the best principal ever." Robin smiled walking down the hallway.

"Or eaten." Xander scoffed.

"Hmm. Me. Counselor Buffy." Buffy said almost dreamily. Xander smiled taking her hand exiting the building.

"Ooh yes, Buffy with the counseling. Best counselor ever!" Xander brought her hand to his lips kissing her knuckles.

"But…"

"But? But what?" Xander tilted his head to the side.

"You hate the principal."

"I do not!" Xander shouted defensively.

"Oh, you know you do too. What about that: 'need a little extra' or 'be eaten." Buffy mimicked Xander's 'voice'. "And don't forget the snide remarks…"

"Okay. First, of all I, in no way sound like that." Xander pointed out matter-of-factly. "And the remarks just came to me sporadically."

"Every time he opened his mouth?"

"He was checking you out!" Xander argued. They were now standing out in the empty courtyard.

"Paranoid much? He so was not."

"Please Buffy…"

"In what way do you think he was 'checking me out?'" Buffy placed her hands on her hips.

"Oh don't give me that. You know perfectly well that you're a hottie. Like Maximum Magazine hot." Xander crossed his arms protectively over his chest.

After a moment, Buffy curled her arms around his neck standing on the tips of her toes. She pecked a small kiss on his lips. "I love you. And no matter who checks me out or whatever. I'm your girl." Buffy then pouted knowing that was Xander's kryptonite.

Xander rolled his eyes. "Fine." Buffy smiles and kissed him once-more.

"And you're a GQ." She mumbled.

Xander leaned his head back slightly away from her approaching mouth. "GQ? Really? I've always thought of myself as an Esquire kind of guy."

"Mmm… Men's Fitness." Buffy smiled against Xander's mouth.

"Totally." Xander wrapped his arm around her shoulders walking away from the courtyard to the front parking lot.


	27. Chapter 27 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 27**

Later that evening, Buffy, Xander, and Dawn sat in the dinning room quickly devouring the pizza pie strayed out in front of them. "Could you die? 'Cause," Dawn finished chewing. "seriously, speaking for everybody who are me, we're very excited."

"Who's excited?" Willow and Tara entered the dinning room, reaching across the table for the remaining pizza slices.

"Buffy's got a job as the new counselor at the high school." Dawn said before taking another bite.

"Buff! That's great!" Willow grinned sitting in an empty chair.

"Yeah, Buffy, that's really great." Tara smiled.

"I mean, it's just so cool. You're coming to school with me." The smiled vanished from the teens lips as she stared at Buffy. "You understand you cannot talk to me, look at me, or hang out with any of my friends, right?"

"I doubt we'll be seeing each other, assuming I even half-understand my fuzzy job description.

"You're, what, dealing with troubled kids? Not fuzzy." Willow said.

"At a spanking new Hellmouth High. Please. Outside of drugs and violence and the unwanted pregnancy, and, uh, unleashing of hordes of Armageddon that comes pouring out of the school's foundation every now and then, what trouble could these kids have?"

"Guess I'll find out."

Xander placed his hand on the back of Buffy's neck and gave her his famous lopsided smile. "Those kids are damn lucky having a Slayer and a friend on campus there for 'em. I hope they appreciate it. I know I did. Days gone by, huh?"

"I thought you hated Sunnydale." Willow bit into her pizza.

"Only in the literal sense." Xander waved his hand lightly.

"Hmm, I remember high school…" Willow cradled her chin in her palm and smiled softly. Her soft smile soon turned into a frown. "Then I remember everything that happened in high school."

"Yeah you guys dating the demons." Dawn giggled.

"Hey Cordelia wasn't a demon." Xander sat back crossing his legs. "So to speak…"

"Uh, hello, I'm sorry. Wasn't that you having the smooch-a-thon with teen vampire last Halloween?"

"See, this is why I don't want you talking to my friends." Dawn scoffed quickly exciting the dinning room.

"What'd I say?" Buffy looked around the table. The gang simply shrugged and continued eating the pizza.

"Hello?" A skinny girl with long brown hair entered the small cubical. Buffy looked up stopping her pencil sharpener mid through.

"Come in! Hi."

"Mister Miller sent me here."

"Do you know why?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe 'cause this guy was picking on me."

"You know, it's awful. Being teased. But the thing is, you know, with bullies like this, they're really just -"

"Insecure? Yeah, everyone says that. You know, I'm really tried of everyone being so insecure." Pause. "I jumped him in the parking lot and slammed his stupid-ass insecure face right into the pavement."

"You defiantly showed him you're not gonna take any more of his sh- you what?"

"I guess that's another reason Mister Miller wanted me to see you."

Buffy sat slightly, her hands neatly resting on top of the desk. The boy across from her slouched in his chair wearing his grey hoodie. "I don't wanna talk to you."

"Okay. That's fine."

"I'm serious. I don't wanna talk."

"Okay."

Buffy and the boy sat silently staring at each other unbudgingly.

A nerdy looking boy knocked politely on Buffy's cubical wall. "Come in!" The boy handed Buffy the teachers note. "So, Josh, what's on you mind?"

"Well, I'm worried that I'm… Gay."

"Okay, first, of all, I… I think it's great that you would come and talk to me about this. And second, of all, you should know that there is nothing shameful about being gay. Nothing."

"I - I know. It's just - I'm not positive, so, uh, I was thinking that… Why don't you go on, uh, a date with me so I can be sure?" Josh flashed Buffy his metal toothed smile.

Buffy shook her head in disbelief and sighs rubbing her face in her hands.

"It sounds like it's difficult for you. Like maybe your sister makes it hard for you to establish your own identity. You said she's controlling, she doesn't let you make your own decisions." Buffy counseled.

Dawn sat sporting a wicked attitude. "Yeah, and she borrows my clothes without asking, makes out with her boyfriend everywhere…"

"I understand. That must be hard."

"Hey how was your day?" Xander watched Buffy enter the living room falling on the couch next to him.

"Tiring. So many kids with problems."

"Whatever happened to the old times when it was just about blood and guts?"

"A girl did beat up her bully." Xander smirked wrapping his arm around her shoulders pulling her into his side.

"What did you dream last night?"

"Dream?"

"Yeah, when you kicked me in the shin." Xander lifted the jean of his right leg, showing her his black and blue bruise.

"Uh, sorry about that." Xander shrugged. "I don't know… A girl was running from these guys, I didn't see their faces but they seemed familiar. Then… From beneath you it devours."

"Pleasant. I'd kick my shin for that."

Buffy sat up in deep thought. "Somethings coming." She looked at him.


	28. Chapter 28 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 28**

"So Avengers assemble?"

"I-" Buffy glanced up sensing someone standing between the French doors. "Spike?"

"Buffy." Spike said longingly. Buffy stood moving across the room away from the vampire.

"Buffy!" Dawn and a girl entered the house.

"What?"

"There's something out there. I was walking back from school and I met Nancy," Dawn pointed to Nancy. "And there was like this earthquake but it wasn't an earthquake something came out… Spike?" Dawn glanced to Spike next to her.

"Who's that?" Nancy whispered.

"He's… It's Buffy's…"

"Ex." Xander finished glaring dangerously at the vampire.

"I'm thinking its a little more complicated than just that."

"Always is."

"You've changed." Buffy's voice was hard and emotionless.

"I have."

"New clothing. Better hair. Not so much with the crazy. What'd you want?"

"Easy." Spike held up his hands defensively. "If you think I like putting myself here, surrounded by people who don't particularly like me, you'd be wrong." Spike moved closer to Buffy. Xander jumped to his feet standing between Buffy and Spike.

"If you're uncomfortable, we can make you leave." Xander noticed the sun was still out. "How are you, here the sun?"

Spike revealed the blanket he held in his hand. "And it's sunset. I'll be quick." Spike looked at Buffy. "We need to talk. We can here or privately?"

"I'm thinking here, in the company of family and pointy weapons." Xander snapped.

"You said something about quick?" Buffy asked.

"I did. Before I start and for the record, the last you saw me, I was a mess - out of my head, admitted. Last week, living in the school basement, well, you two saw me."

Dawn glanced at Xander and Buffy surprised. "You did?"

"Things were insane in the basement. We saved your life. We can discuss this later."

"Whatever you want." Dawn frowned.

"Give us a second." Buffy said. Spike turned into the foyer away from everyone.

Buffy looked at him holding up her hand to stop him from speaking. "Do not start by saying you're sorry."

"I didn't come to atone."

"Then what the hell do you want?" Buffy's patients wore thin.

"I'm here to help you."

"Help me what?"

"I was hoping you'd tell me. You're the Slayer. Connected to the visions. Long line of worthies, right? I'm just a guy with his ear to the ground and even I can feel it. Something's coming. So, am I wrong?"

"Everything about you is wrong, Spike." Spike nodded sadly and turned to leave. "But something is coming."

"You're gonna need some help."

"When did you become the champion of the people?"

"I didn't. I'm just a guy who -"

Buffy held up her hand to stop him again. "Stop. If you want to help, fine." Buffy turned away from him, entering the living room. "Okay, we're gonna split. Whatever this creature is, it's burrowing through solid ground. That means a strength and power that we don't usually deal with, but we may have to get used to now that the hellmouth is getting all perky." Buffy opened the weapons chest.

"Shouldn't we call the police or something?" Nancy whispered to Dawn.

"And tell them…?" Dawn looked at Nancy with a questioning expression.

Buffy glanced up to Xander. "Xander, take Nancy home. Drive, don't walk and try not to stop 'til you get there."

"Is your sister always this… commanding?"

"On the usual basis? Yes. Buffy I wanna come with." Dawn said.

"Fine." Dawn smiled. "Spike and I will check out the scene."

"Okay, in the biggest way, I am not loving this plan." Xander closed to the distance between him and Buffy. "I am not loving Spike. He tried to rape you." He whispered.

"And he failed. I know I can take him. Xander, take Nancy home. Spike and I will patrol." Buffy leaned up and pecked Xander's unresponsive lips before moving to the door. "Let's go." She went out the door.

"Righty-o, then." Spike started to follow when Dawn took his wrist stopping him. Spike turned to her icy glaring teenager.

"Spike. You sleep, right? You. Vampires. You sleep."

"Yeah. What's your point, niblet?"

"I can't take you in a fight or anything, even with a chip in your head. But you do sleep. If you hurt my sister at all… touch her… you're gonna wake up on fire."


	29. Chapter 29 Prospects of The Visions

**Chapter 29**

Buffy and Spike walk steadily down the street spotting the broken sidewalk that Dawn described. "You're awfully quiet."

Buffy kept her focus. "Wouldn't know what to say."

"Fine with me. I was more half-expecting to get an earful anyway. And when exactly did your sister get unbelievably scary?"

Buffy stopped walking looking up at Spike. "What are you doing?"

"What? I told you once, straight up, I'm here to help and that's all." Spike noticed the broken sidewalk. "Think this here is our spot?"

"How'd you guess?"

"I don't fancy sticking my head in there."

"Well, if something bites it off, that'd be a clue." Spike looked at her before kneeling investigating the broken sidewalk. Buffy watched him. "So, what happened to you?"

"When you saw me. Those ghostly types in the school basement got in my head. I'm not braggin' about it, but they were stronger than I was. Made me see things, do things."

"Us, working together - it's not a way for us to get back together, if that's what you want. I'm with Xander."

Spike chuckled a little. "Yeah Xanda." Spike looked up at her. "I can't blame you for being skittish."

"Skittish? That's not a word I would use for it. You tried to rape me. I don't have the words."

"Neither do I. I can't say sorry. Can't use forgive me. All I can say is: Buffy, I've changed."

"I believe you. I just don't know what you've changed into. There's something you're not telling me."

"You're right. There is. But we're not best friends anymore, so too bad for you. I'm not sharing." Spike stood and eyed Buffy for a moment. "Tell me Slayer, do you see fat grandchildren in the future with _Xanda_?"

Buffy stared at him and thought. "Sometimes." She lied.

Actually, Buffy thought about fat grandchildren with Xander all, of the time. She also imagined what their house would look like, if their kids will play sports or be in the marching band. If their daughter will have Xander's dark features and Buffy's independence and if their son be as goofy as Xander and if he would have have his mothers blonde hair.

She imagined if Xander will have all grey hair when he's older. Buffy thought about the future a lot. But Spike doesn't need to know that. The vaguer, the better.

"I wasn't expecting that. A little surprised." Spike watched her for a moment.

"You're one to talk. You make with the big surprises. Twice. I don't know what your game is, Spike."

"Honestly, I've got nothing better to do. Make use of me if you want." Spike glanced down at the broken sidewalk. "There's nothing here. Whatever our beastie is, he's gone."

"Fine. Let's get back to the house." Buffy began to walk back without waiting for Spike.

Buffy and Spike approached the driveway when Xander's car sped around the corner and slowed getting their attention. "Buffy get in. Nancy made a wish." Xander said. Buffy ran around to the seat and Spike slid into the back.

Buffy, Xander, Spike, Dawn and Nancy quickly squirmed through the crowds at the Bronze, stopping to see Anya at a table talking to a girl.

Anya glanced up noticing them. "Why don't you get yourself a drink and we'll pick it up in a few, okay?" Anya instructed to the girl sitting at the table. The girl stood up and went to the bar. "You guys, I am working here."

"We noticed." Buffy said. "That's why we're here."

"Right. Did you turn this nice girls ex into a giant worm monster?" Xander asked stepping into Anya's view.

Anya laughed. "Yes."

"No way. Are you saying that thing was Ronnie?" Nancy's face twisted in confusion.

"You wish it, I dish it. I thought we were clear on this. I didn't think you were going to go all narc on me."

"We were just talking."

"Anya has a way of making things happen." Dawn explained carefully.

"I had a quota; that guy had it coming. What's the big?"

"I'm gonna be sick." Nancy covered her mouth nauseously.

Buffy crossed her arms. "Anya, that thing you created burst through solid pavement and attacked my sister."

"People's lives are in danger…" Xander finished.

"Oh. Please. I know what this is _really_ about. And don't think I've forgiven you or you." Anya glanced at Buffy accusingly.

"Who is this woman?" Nancy whispered to Dawn.

"Anya, she's, um, Xander's ex."

"Oh."

"Hey, nobody's bragging here." Anya stood. "And if you should know. He left me for her." Anya pointed at Buffy. "At the altar." Nancy's brows raised looking at Xander and Buffy.

Spike stepped up from behind Anya grabbing her upper arm. "Ah, ah, ah…"

"Hey, hands off the merchandise." She wiggled her arm out from his grip. "Spike, you don't get to go there again."

"Please. I've already forgotten about our little time together."

Nancy leaned to Dawn once-more. "I thought she was Xander's ex-girlfriend."

"I am." Anya answered.

"But you and Spike…"

"Had a thing." Anya shrugged.

"Didn't last." Spike finished.

"But weren't you with Buffy?" Nancy pieced together.

"Briefly." Spike said.

"Never serious." Buffy finished.

Nancy pointed between Buffy and Xander. "And now you and Xander?"

"Serious." Buffy said ignoring Anya's irritated huff.

"Is there anyone here that hans't slept together." Nancy asked. Xander and Spike glance at each other awkwardly that snapped their eyes away.

Spike began. "Sluggoth demon. Very large, very nasty, natural predator who died around the crusades. Am I right?" Spike stared impatiently at Anya.

Anya rolled her eyes. "Maybe. I just embellished."

"Well, you can un-embellish now." Xander said.

"Bite me, Harris. I have rules to work with. Vengeance demon codes of conduct. But you'll never understand 'cause you're all still so… human."

"Turn the spell around like a good little vengeance demon or I - what?" Anya stared at Spike in astonishment.

"Oh, my god! How did you do it?" Anya asked with deep fascination.

"Spike, what is she talking about?" Buffy looked at the vampire concerned.

"Nothing. Let's go."

"You shouldn't be allowed to." Anya stared.

"Shut up!"

On cue an earthquake shook the Bronze. People scattered to safety while Buffy and the gang stood where they were. "Ronnie." Buffy, Xander and Spike ran out the door. Nancy moved around Dawn and followed them into the alleyway.

Anya saw her escape but Dawn grabbed her forearm. "Reverse the spell."

"It's not that easy, Dawn."

"You can do it."

"Yeah, sure, the spell part. What about me? I'm in enough trouble as it is. Halfrek's all over my case. D'Hoffrin is not pleased with my work. You don't want to see him angry. Trust me."

"Nice friends you got." Dawn said sarcastically.

"Nice friends I had. Chums. Coworkers. Bridesmaids. Oh, I had the whole package until something fell apart. What could that be, Dawnie?"

"You saying that this is Xander and Buffy's fault?"

"All I'm saying is none of this happened until he dumped me at the altar for her."

"Sooner or later Anya, that excuse just stops working." Dawn took a silent deep breath suddenly afraid of the vengeance demon. "Like now."

Spike found a pipe on the ground. "That's right. Big bad's back and looking for a little death!" Spike rammed the pipe through the worm as it turned into a human.

Spike stared at the now injured young man. _What have I done?_

"Ow!" Ronnie cried.

"I'm sorry." Spike apologized sincerely. He cocked his head to the side and removed the pipe from Ronnie's side. "Right. Wrong. All wrong. Wrong maneuver. Not- hardly helpful." Spike muttered.

Nancy walked to Ronnie. Spike turned to Buffy. "God, please help me." He moved a little closer to the Slayer. "Help me!" The vampire screamed.

"Spike, whatever you're doing - do it somewhere else. I am through with this." Buffy said sternly. Spike stepped back.

"Oh, oh, lucky girl. Call it quits. Now, there's an option. If only it were so easy. It only - If only - If only -" Spike look at an invisible someone. "What the hell are you screaming about? I can hear you. No need to SHOUT!" Spike screamed. He jumped into Buffy's face staring into her eyes. "From beneath you…"

"Get away from her." Xander stepped in between them. Spike nodded and ran off deeper into the alley. Xander glanced down to Buffy checking to see if she was okay. She was to his relief. He can hear what she was thinking without her actually saying it. "Okay." Xander understood.

Buffy nodded and ran off into the direction Spike departed in. Xander watched her for a moment before aiding Ronnie. "You call the ambulance?"

"Yes, they're coming." Nancy said. Anya and Dawn walked up to Xander, Nancy and Ronnie who was lying on the ground bleeding profusely.

Xander looked up at Anya. "You did the right thing here."

"Tell him that."

"You reversed the spell. It took guts. I know this is bad, but it could be worse."

"Oh, it will be." Anya frowned as she turned leaving the alleyway.


	30. Chapter 30 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 30**

Buffy entered her bedroom, to see Xander sitting in her bed reading a book. The shaggy haired man smirked at her arrival. He placed the book on the nightstand and watched Buffy adoringly crossing the room.

Something seemed off. She looked very distracted. Buffy sat on the edge of the bed, her hands were placed on her lap and stared into space. Xander crawled up behind her rubbing his hands up and down her shoulders. "Spike has a soul." Her voice was a hushed whisper.

Xander removed his hands and sat back. "What?"

Buffy turned to him. A single tear streamed down her cheek. "Spike has a soul. He - went somewhere and got it…for me." Xander couldn't help but stare confused.

He opened his mouth finding his voice. "So what? Are you leaving me and going back to him?" Xander sat there afraid of her answer.

One of his biggest fears is losing Buffy to anything or anyone. Even when he found her, sitting broken against the bathtub a few months ago, he knew that she still cared for the vampire. More than she would ever admit. Why else wouldn't she let him kill Spike?

She looked up at Xander with hurt eyes. "How could you ask me that?" Her tone was angered. "Of course I'm not going back to him." She said firmly, reaching for his hand. "I'm with you. I told you, I'm yours."

Xander didn't say anything. He just played with her tiny hand.

He heard what she said and he believes she sincerely means every word but something within Xander wasn't sitting right. An idea flashed in his mind. "Let's get married."

Buffy looked at him shocked which was an understatement. "What?"

"Marry me." Xander said more confidently.

"No."

"No?" He suddenly became nauseous.

"No. I don't want to get married like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you're threatened by my ex-boyfriend." She said knowingly. Buffy scooted closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck straddling his lap. "When you propose, I want you to really mean it."

"I _do_ really mean it."

"You do. But, you don't."

How was it that she could see right through him, right into his gut? He wanted to marry her desperately, he's been thinking about since… High school. The first time he met her after they accidentally bumped into each other. Unfortunately, she was right.

When he proposes to her it won't be out of insecurity or apocalypse. He'll do it right. With candles and music, maybe at a big enchanted ball! No, no enchantment, nothing ever comes good with that. Maybe he'll do in the cemetery during patrol. Wait, no. Hell no! _I got it! The perfect place._

Xander smiled to himself and cupped her cheeks with his hands. "Okay." He kissed her lips lovingly. "I'll wait… We'll wait." Xander whispered against her mouth. They both smiled before kissing again, this time more passionately.

Willow and Tara sat on Dawn's bed watching the teen move the furniture around the room. "My advice to you is do exactly what everyone else does all the time." Willow said.

"Got it." Dawn carried her lamp to the other side of the room.

"Do what everyone else does, wear what everyone else wears, say what everyone else says." Tara moved the pillow to her lap.

"Okay."

"People may say something to you, you don't understand. Just don't be afraid to keep your mouth shut and pretend like you know what they're saying." Willow smiled.

"You know, guys, high school really isn't all that bad. I can be my own per-"

"Ooh!" Willow brightened with a thought. "People may say something like 'My protein window closes in an hour.' Just nod and smile. Mm-hmm…"

"Turns out it has something to do with fitness." Tara finished. The couple shared a small smile. Dawn stepped away from her large, heavy dresser.

"Thanks for the useless and backfire prone advice. Now, can you guys help me." Dawn frowned. Willow and Tara giggled before jumping off the teenagers bed.

Buffy and Xander sat outside on the swing bench avoiding the screeching thuds in the ceiling from the shifting furniture. Her legs rested across Xander's lap. They were silent, listening to the birds and the fathers cutting their front lawns in the late evening.

"Have you talked to her lately?"

"Who?"

"Anya." Xander looked at his girlfriend strangely.

"Why would I be talking to Anya?"

"It's obvious that she's holding a pretty hefty grudge over you and me and…"

"Hey," Xander squeezed her ankles gently getting her attention. "Anya and I are done. Way done. Besides, I like being the strong, successful male who is giddy at the thought of us in the near future."

"Strong, successful males say, 'giddy'?"

"Shut up." Beat. "I do worry about her."

"Anya?" Willow said as she walking out onto the porch with Dawn and Tara.

"Yeah, she's grudgy." Buffy said still looking at Xander.

"She should try acting like everybody else more." Willow giggled and sat on the porch steps.

"Apparently, it's what all the kids are doing nowadays." Dawn rolled her eyes.

"There's definitely a vengeance vibe worth worrying about." Buffy said.

"What? No, no. Stop worrying. She was hurt and she just turned back to what she knew when I - you know. But that's not her anymore. She's fine."

Buffy took a breath. "I hope you're right."

"S-she did turn that worm guy back." Tara pointed out.

Xander nodded turning back to Buffy. "It was before any real damage happened, right? It'll just take some time. I really think she's coming around."

Buffy gave him her famous 'are you serious?' look. "You can't be serious Xander. You left her at the alter for another woman. She is not fine. She's angry." Buffy argued removing her legs from Xander's lap.

"She'll live." Xander stopped her from moving away from him. "She'll live." He repeated.

A boy laid dead on the ground near several other boys laying dead on the ground with their hearts ripped out from their bodies. Anya sat in the center shocked at the havoc around her. She moved her bloody hands to whip the blood smeared across her face. "What have I done?"


	31. Chapter 31 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 31**

"Come see me during my office hours tomorrow and we'll see about what we need to do to get you into that class, all right?" The professor smiled.

Willow nodded her head grateful. "Okay. Thank you, professor." She watching her professor leave.

Walking down the sidewalk Willow spotted Anya. The vengeance demon gripped the tench coat she wore tightly hiding the dry blood on her dress. "Anya! Anya!" Willow caught up with her friend.

"Willow, hi! What're you doing here?"

"I was speaking with my professor. I'm trying to get into this phy-" Willow stopped mid sentence noticing Anya's anxious expression. "W-what're you doing here? Walking out of the fraternity house in the middle of the day?"

"Uh, um… I have a new boyfriend now. He lives here."

"That's great."

"Right." Anya avoided the red heads eyes. "Yeah, we just had lots and lots, of sex."

"Okay. This is so great. I am so happy to see you've -" Willow tilted her head to the side noticing the blood on Anya's hand as she pushed her hair back. "Moved on."

"Yeah, we're tremendously happy together. Now, um, if you'll excuse me, I'm late for something important."

"Uh, okay. See you later." Willow watched Anya rush away before walking to the fraternity house.

Buffy sat at her desk practicing the extent of her boredom by balancing a pencil holder on her forehead. _If Xander can only see me now._ She smiled to herself at the thought.

She jumped when the phone rang, dropping her pencil holder to the floor as she reached for the phone. "Oops. Hello. Willow, hey! Is everything - A spider demon? Wh - h - hold on. A - are you all right? Like how? Uh - huh. Uh - huh. Wait, okay, go ahead. No, no, no, no. It's all good. I'll get Xander to go. But seriously, you just - whoa. Ripped out the heart? My god. Hey, did you get that physics class you wanted?"

Buffy and Xander walked through the woods hand in hand searching for the spider demon. Xander carried a sword causally over his shoulder. Buffy used her battle-axe as a walking stick. "Thanks for side-kicking. I didn't want to trouble Willow. Figure she's got enough to do. She and Tara with the school and all."

"Are you kidding? We're doing vent work at the site. Anything's better than breathing freon for eight hours. Plus, I get to be with my girl." Xander gave Buffy a lopsided smile, wrapping his arm around her shoulders hugging her tightly into his body. "Did she say what this thing is?"

"Some sort of spider demony thingy. She was busy trying to get into that physics class."

"Ah, yes, there is little that can distract the Willow when she's on the hunt for the mighty syllabi." Buffy giggled. Her smile disappeared when saw a boy's body. His heart had been ripped out. "Shit." Xander moved his hand over his mouth. "How big did she say this thing was?"

"She didn't. The heart is completely ripped out. This is our guy."

"Or a copycat spider demon. What's this black stuff?" Xander bent down and touched it. "Aw, it's sticky!"

"Willow said it was a spider demon. Maybe it's webbing…and FYI, you are not touching me until you sanitize." A noise shook the trees. Buffy glanced up searching for whatever as moving.

"Is that it?"

"I can't tell. There is definitely something moving up there."

"Maybe we can somehow lure it. Maybe we need more swords. Or a spidery demon protection amulet. We can come back later and -" Buffy threw her battle-axe up into the treetop. A moment later the spider demon crashed to the ground with the axe in it. "Or that."

Buffy and Xander entered the house. "I'm more concerned with where that thing came from. If there are more of those spider demons running around, we need to know about it. We should hit the research, find out if -" They walked into the living room to see Willow and Tara waiting for them wearing a serious expression.

"We know where it came from." Willow glanced at Tara than back at the couple. Buffy and Xander sat besides each other on the couch.

"How many?" Buffy asked.

"Ten, twelve." Willow shifted uncomfortably.

"When were you planning on telling us?" Xander leaned his elbows on his knees.

"I'm telling you now."

"Great. Thank you. Willow, it's Anya. How could you let us - how could you not have told us?" Xander sat back frustrated.

"Xander…" Buffy placed her hand on his knee.

"How could you not have told me?"

"Xander. It's okay. She didn't tell us for a reason. She didn't tell us because she knows what I have to do." Xander looked at his girlfriend. "I have to kill Anya."

Xander stood angrily. "Whoa. What?"

"She's not the Anya that you knew, Xander. She's a demon."

"That doesn't mean you have to kill her!"

"Don't act like this is easy for me. You know it's not."

"There are other options."

"I've already considered them." Buffy spoke calmly.

"When? Just now? Took you all of ten-seconds to decide to kill one of your best friends?"

"The thought that it might come to this has occurred to me before. It's occurred to you, too."

"But, we can change this. Fix it. These are mystical deaths, right? There has to be something. She's fine. Buffy really."

"We don't have anywhere near that kind of power." Tara spoke up.

"It's okay." Buffy glanced to Willow and Tara. "Xander." Buffy stood taking his hands into hers. "I know this is hard for you to hear, but it's what I have to do." The Slayer's voice was a soothing whisper.

"Hard for me to hear? Buffy, you wanna kill Anya!" Xander shouted.

"I don't want to."

"Then don't! When our friends go all crazy and start killing people, we help them."

"It's different."

"Different… because you don't care about her the same way I do. Buffy, I still love her." Buffy knew Xander loved Anya, he'll always love her but it doesn't mean she wants to be reminded.

"I know. And that's why you can't see this for what it really is. Anya's a demon."

"And you're the Slayer. I see now it's all very simple." Xander scoffed bitterly.

"It is never simple." Buffy gritted through her teeth trying to keep her emotions in check.

"No, of course not. You know, if there's a mass-murdering demon that you're, oh, say, boning, then it's all gray area." Xander knew his words would hurt Buffy. He also knew he was close to crossing that invisible boundary line.

"Spike was harmless. He was helping." Buffy's voice was cross.

"He had no choice."

"And Anya did! She chose to become a demon. Twice."

"You have no idea what she's going through!"

Buffy closed the space between them. "I don't care what she's going through!"

"No, of course not. You think we haven't see all this before? The part where you just cut us all out. Just a step away from everything human and act like you're the law. Well, guess what sweetie pie you've won! Yea got me! Why can't you just let this go? Haven't we done enough to her?" He saw that Buffy was not going to change her mind. "If you knew what I felt -"

"I killed Angel! Do you even remember that? Before you, I would have given up everything I had to be with - I loved him more than I will ever love anything - And I put a sword through his heart because I had to."

"And that all worked out okay." Willow said nervously, Tara reached over taking her hand giving her a comforting smile.

"Do you remember cheering me on? Both of you. Do you remember giving me Willow's message: Kick his ass."

"I never said that -" Willow looked up to Xander.

"That was different -" Xander quickly covered.

"It is always different! It's always complicated. And at some point, someone has to draw the line and that's always going to be me. You get down on me for cutting myself off, but in the end the Slayer is always cut off. There's no mystical guidebook. No all-knowing Council. Human rules don't apply. There's only me. I am the law."

"There has to be another way." Xander's voice was close to a beg.

"Then please find it." Beat. "Xander, I love you, so much." She reached up and cupped Xander's cheek. "I wish there was something I can do or say to fix everything. To make everything better. To make _you_ happy. But this the job I have to do."

Xander stared at her for a moment furious. He grabbed his jacket that was draped over the couch and left. Buffy closed her eyes as the door slammed.

She took a deep breath moving to the weapon's chest pulling out her sword. The Slayer glanced back to the witches. "We can't. I'm sorry." Willow looked at her best friend sadly. Buffy nodded and left the house with the sword in hand.


	32. Chapter 32 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 32**

Willow and Tara sat in the living room staring hopelessly out the window. "I don't like this."

"Me either." Tara took Willow's hand into hers. "B-but Buffy's right. Anya has to-"

"I know I just wish-" Willow stood suddenly with an idea. She turned from Tara and ran up the stairs and into her desk drawer or an amulet then reached to the top shelf for a glass bottle of sand.

Tara stood at the door watching her girlfriend frantically move around the room. "I'm going to fix this." Willow said determined. She poured the sand around her and chanted in Latin. "Beatum sit in nomine D'Hoffrynis. Fiat hoc sputum porta ad mundum Arashmaharris." a bright white light flashed.

D'Hoffryn appeared with his back facing the witches. "Behold. Lord of Arashmahar. He that turns the air to blood and rains -" D'Hoffryn turned to Willow and Tara. "Miss Rosesnburg." The demon smiled. "How lovely to see you again. Have you done something with your hair?"

"Hello, D'Hoffryn." Willow gave him a polite smile. "Yeah, actually, I'm just letting it grow - oh, right." Willow caught Tara's amused expression and laughed nervously. "Um, uh, we need to talk about Anya."

D'Hoffryn sighed. "Very well. Let's talk about Anyanka."

Xander barged through the doors of the frat house. Anya stood near the wall grazing her fingers gently over dry blood spattered on it. "I thought I might find you here. Have you forced yourself to look at the bodies yet?"

"What do you want?" Anya rolled her eyes unamused.

"I wanna help you."

"Everyone is so considerate today." She said through her teeth. "I should've slaughtered people weeks ago." Anya moved away from the brunette man.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything I did to you. Everything I put you through."

"Thank you. All better. Thank goodness you got here in time! You know what? Just go back to your Slayer."

"You don't understand. This isn't an intervention. Buffy's coming to _kill_ you."

"She's coming to try."

"Did everybody have their crazy flakes today? You guys are friends…"

"No. No, we are not _friends_ anymore. We stopped being _friends _when _you_ left me for her. I have a job to do. And so does Buffy. Xander, you've always seen what you wanted to."

Buffy entered the frat house expressionless. Xander faced her. "Buffy, get out of here." Buffy gracefully walked down the stairs stopping in front of Xander.

"Get out of my way, Xander." She ordered coolly.

"No."

"Get out of her way, Xander." Anya morphed into her demon face backhanding Xander away. Buffy lunged full force with her sword in hand. Anya simply pushed the Slayer away. "This is getting to be a pattern with you, Buffy. Are there any friends of yours left you haven't tried to kill?" Anya kicked the Slayer in the stomach. "C'mon, Slayer. Don't you have a clever retort for me?" She threw Buffy against the wall.

Buffy stood. "Anya, I'm sorry." Her voice was sincere.

"You're apologizing to me? You took my fiancé, my happiness and humanity." Anya punched Buffy in the chin. "What fight are you watching?" Anya rushed herself attacking Buffy.

"I'm not that powerful Anya." Buffy maneuvered herself to twist Anya against the wall and stabbed the Vengeance demon in the heart. "I'm sorry because I always win." Buffy stepped away from the demon knowing this was far from over.

Xander jumped to his feet. "Anya!"

Anya gasps suddenly pulling the sword from her chest. "Forgotten how much swords through the chest hurt. You know better than that, Buffy. It takes a lot more to kill a Vengeance demon."

"I'm just getting started." Buffy said as Anya jabbed the sword. Buffy took the demons arm and twisted her wrists letting go of the sword. The Slayer followed up with her knee ramming into Anya's stomach. Buffy flipped the demon on her back and picked up the sword standing over Anya. Xander pushed Buffy forcefully out of the way.

"Stop trying to save me, Xander!" Anya stood angrily.

A bolt of lightening flashes and D'Hoffryn appears. They all turn to the demon.

"Oh, please, don't mind me. Continue with whatever it was you were doing." D'Hoffryn moved to the blood smeared walls. "Breathtaking. It's like somebody slaughtered an Abercrombie and Fitch catalog." Buffy dangerously stared at D'Hoffryn raising her sword. "Easy now. I'd be gone before you could swing. Isn't that just like a Slayer," D'Hoffryn stood between Xander and Anya. "solving all her problems by sticking thing with sharp objects. I talked to your friend, Miss Rosenburg."

"Stay away from Willow." Xander got into D'Hoffryn's face.

"Oh, he's gallant, isn't he." The demon glanced at Anya and Buffy. "I understand what you saw in him." He said to Anya. "Look, Miss Rosenburg seems to think Anyanka would be better suited outside the vengeance fold. And the young man, he sees with the eyeballs of love." Buffy tried not to seem bothered by D'Hoffryn's comment. "But I'm not sure if anyone's bothered to find out what Anyanka herself really wants."

"Her name is Anya." Xander bravely corrected.

"Actually, funny historical sidebar, her original name was -"

"I wanna take it back." Anya looked up at her Lord with tear streaked eyes.

"I'm sorry. What was that?"

"I wanna take it back. I wanna undo what I did."

"Hmm. You want to take it back. Must be twelve bodies in there. Such a thing is not easily done. But not impossible. You're a big girl, Anyanka. You understand how this works. The proverbial scales must balance. In order to restore the lives of victims, the fates require a sacrifice. The life and soul of a vengeance demon."

"Do it."

"Wait!"

"Stay out of this Xander!" Anya angrily ordered.

D'Hoffryn raised his hand to vanquish Anya, before he could finish the deed he was pinned against the wall with the sword blade pressed against his throat.

"Not fast enough." Buffy's tone was sarcastic and emotionless.

"Stop it! It must be done!" Anya cried.

Buffy moved closer to D'Hoffryn's ear. "You kill her and I will personally find you and play with your insides." She pressed the blade harder into into D'Hoffryn's throat. Buffy backed away staring at the frightened demon. "Believe when I say, you'll wish that you have _never_ crossed paths with me." Buffy lowered her sword cautiously stepping away from the demon.

"I understand the price. Do it." Anya's voice shook slightly.

D'Hoffryn composed himself and glanced at his demon. "Are you sure? This is your wish?"

"This is my wish. Undo what I did."

"Very well." He glared at the Slayer and waved his hand. A flash of light a Halfrek appeared.

"Anya!"

"Hallie!" Anya looked at D'Hoffryn. The Lord demon waved his hand causally and Halfrek bursts into flames. Anya watched with heavy tears in her eyes. D'Hoffryn walked through the smoke to Anya.

"Who did you think you were dealing with? Did you think it would be that easy to get away?" D'Hoffryn shouted.

"Why?"

"Why? Because you wished it!" Xander moved to Anya. Buffy caught his arm holding him back. "Yes, hold him back, Slayer. Wouldn't want anyone to get hurt. You're out Anyanka. Congratulations. You're wish is granted."

"You should've killed me."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. From beneath you, it devours." Buffy glared at the demon Lord. "Be patient. All good things in time." D'Hoffryn disappeared.

Anya glanced at the Buffy and Xander before walking away. Xander looked down at Buffy. The Slayer nodded. "Go. I'll check on the boys." Xander turned away running to catch up.

"Anya, wait." Xander ran from the fraternity house.

"Xander, please. Just go away." Anya continued to walk away from the frat house.

"Whatever's between us - it doesn't matter. You shouldn't be alone in this."

"Yes, I should. My whole life, I've clung to whatever came along."

"Well, speaking as a clingee - I kinda didn't mind." Xander smirked sweetly.

Anya's frown deepened. "And we all know what happened with that. Thanks. For everything." Anya turned away than back to Xander. "What do you see in her?" Anya whispered.

Xander glanced up from the sidewalk to her. "What?"

Anya closed her eyes feeling foolish. "What does Buffy Summers have that I don't?"

Xander looked at her knowing she wanted the truth. "My heart."

Anya stood there for moment before she nodded weakly. "That's a start." She turned away from her ex-fiancé teary-eyed. Xander took a shallow breath before walking back into the fraternity house.


	33. Chapter 33 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 33**

The walk back to Buffy's house was silent. Xander trailed behind with his hands in his jeans pockets deep in thought. Buffy sighed walking up the driveway and to the front door.

When Xander entered he stood in the foyer watching Buffy in the living room placing the sword back into the weapon's chest. Willow came the stairs. "Hey, did everything work out with Anya?"

Xander looked from Buffy to this red headed best friend. "Uh, yeah, great. Thanks Will."

"Great. Tara's making dinner now."

"Uh, yeah, um. I'm gonna go." Xander turned to the front door leaving. Buffy emerged from the living room and quickly followed her boyfriend out.

"Xander, wait." Buffy called to him as she reached the sidewalk. Xander turned looking at the blonde. They stood awkwardly for a moment. "I'm sor -"

"Don't. Please don't say you're sorry." Xander close his eyes. Buffy simply nodded. "I just need…"

"Are you angry with me?"

Xander surprised himself by being surprised at her abrupt question. "Yes, no. A little." He took a deep breath. "I get that it's what you do. I really do. But it doesn't mean it hurts any less. In the back of my mind it seemed like it was my girlfriend fighting with my ex-girlfriend and I know that, that is very Girls Fight of me. But I don't know. I love Anya and I wish things were different…"

Buffy nodded backing away from him. Xander quickly realized what he said and caught her wrist. "I wish I ended things differently. I wouldn't give you up for anything Buffy. God, I love you so much, but I also feel like, I'm hurting you by caring for Anya."

"No." Buffy moved her hand to his cheek. "Don't ever think that. You're a good man Xander Harris and I wouldn't want you any different. But I am sorry, that I blocked you out when I should've let you in. I think… I think,I was a little jealous." Buffy pinched her thumb and index finger close together looking up from under her lashes.

Xander gave her a slow grin placing his hands on her shoulders. "I suddenly feel like the most desirable man in the world." Buffy laughed as Xander pulled her into his arms. He pressed his lips against the top of her head.

"So, what is it?" Dawn asked. She and Buffy sat on the bleachers watching the football practice.

"What's what?"

"Last night, did you and Xander come up for air at all? So what caused the sexcapades?"

Buffy's eyes widened embarrassed. "Uh, that's not the most inappropriate question you could have asked your older sister." Buffy sipped her soda from the straw in the can.

"What, is sitting there drinking soda some, kind of a Zen non-answer?"

Buffy pushed her sunglasses on top of her head. "No, I just… Xander and I had a fight and we made up… A lot." Dawn smirked at her sister knowingly. "I - I should really get back. You comin' with?" Buffy stood uncomfortably gathering her things.

"You and Xander fight? That's new." Dawn rolled her eyes sarcastically. "Oh, come on. I just don't see why people bother. I mean, you put all this energy into chasing and having and brooding and - I just don't understand these relationships where you all do insane things."

"Bye, rant girl." Buffy walked away.

"Well, you could, like, paint a beautiful mural on every ugly wall in the world, and then you could paint a beautiful mural on every ugly mural in the wor -" Dawn stopped mid-sentence as she noticed the quarterback running off the field putting on his letterman jacket. Dawn stared in awe at the blonde teenager as he squirted the bottle over his sweaty face. She watched him so intently that she lost her balance trying to follow him with her eyes as he left the field.

"Hey, R.J." Dawn walked up the small circle near the lockers. R.J and another athletic boy and two cheerleaders turned their attention to the younger Summers.

"Hey, Summers."

Dawn awkwardly stood outside the circle. "Um, so I - I - I was wondering. You had Mr. Gurin for English back at your old school, right?"

"We all did." R.J smiled.

"I have him this year." The group stared at her. "What a drag."

"I actually kinda liked him."

"Right! Right. No, no, I like him. It's just, you know, I meant drag in a good, fun way."

The boy next to R.J ignored Dawn and continued the earlier conversation. The group turned their backs on Dawn actively ignoring her. "Hey, um, so, you know, I heard someone saying yesterday that we're gonna go all the way to the championships this year. In football." Dawn tried again.

"Yeah, we actually have a good shot, considering we're a new team."

"Yeah, well if you can get us past Highland, we've got a good shot." The jock boy said.

"Oh, like you could do better."

"We'll see."

"Wait, you actually think Coach'd start you at quarterback over me?"

"I'm just saying…."

"The quarterback is like the most important member of the team. He is like the rudder that guides the ship." Dawn so passionately stated. R.J weakly smiled glancing at the cheerleader with crutches.

"Right. Could I give you a hand with that?" R.J took the girls books and walked with the gang away from Dawn.

"Yeah, you're all on the team." Dawn muttered. "We'll talk later, guys. That's cool."

Later that evening Xander entered the Summers home from a long day at work. Buffy, Willow and Tara sat on the couch avidly watching the melodramatic television show. "Hello m'ladies."

"Hi." They said in unison sluggishly.

"Hmm." Xander glanced at the television than back a the girls. "We're missing one."

"What?" Willow asked her eyes still focused on the screen.

"One, two, three… Where's my number four? I have four girls where is my four." As if on cue a loud thud sounded in the basement.

"Basement." Buffy stated.

"Okay, why?" No answer. Xander reached for the remote turning off the television. Groans of protest livened up his girls.

"We were watching that." Willow pouted.

"Why is Dawnie rummaging?"

"She's trying out for cheerleading. Now put back on the telly." Buffy whined.

"Fine." Xander pressed the on button and sat in the chair across from the girls. He was suddenly sucked into the program.

"Razorbacks, razorbacks, we're gonna play, we got a secret weapon and his name is R.J. Hear us cheer, here us yell, listen what we say, razorbacks, razorbacks, go R.J!" Dawn attempted at cartwheel but falls on her butt. The audience laughed. R.J ducked his head embarrassed.

"Okay. Thank you. Very…um, spirited." The cheerleader at the table said curtly.

"Come on, Dawnie. Come out. Dawn, sweetheart, it's not that bad." Buffy stood outside the closed bathroom door.

"How would you even know? R.J's never gonna notice me now." Dawn opened the door sobbing.

"From what you said, I'm sure he already noticed you, I mean with the falling and the -" Dawn slammed the door in Buffy's face. "Spirit. Spirit. They said you were spirited, right?"

"Go away!"

"Dawn…" Buffy tapped on the wooden door as Xander came up from behind resting his hands on Buffy's shoulders.

"Things are a lot better, I see." Xander whispered.

"I don't think tonight's gonna be good for videos, Xand."

"Right, with the wailing and the crying… shall I order a pizza? Don't teens in a snit like pizza?"

Dawn opened the door. "It is not a snit! I - I finally met him - the guy of my dreams, okay? And I blew it. R.J hates me now." Buffy glanced down to her shredded cheerleading outfit.

"Dawn, what is that?"

"Just the end of my life." The teenager storms into her bedroom crying some more.

"Remember when she used to have a crush on me? I miss the much cuter 'me' crush." Xander lopsidedly smiled. Buffy just looked at him before going into Dawn's room.

"You shredded my outfit."

"I'll buy you a new one." Dawn mumbled holding her pillow against her chest.

"That's not the point. I don't want a new cheerleading outfit."

"Now, now, let's not be hasty." Buffy glared at Xander. "Not the right time." He spoke to his girlfriend. Xander sat on the bed beside Dawn. "Dawnie, I'm sorry that you feel so bad. Okay, but in the morning this won't seem so terrible. You don't even know this R.J. Not really." Xander soothingly said.

Dawn sat up. "I do know him. I know his soul."

Buffy sat across from Xander on the bed and beside Dawn. "Really? Dawn, he wasn't even on your radar yesterday."

"It's the jacket. It's true. Something about the big letter on the chest makes girls get all swoony and crushy. I saw it all the time in school. And you couldn't just pin any old felt letter on your and get play - not that I tried." Xander glanced at the girls embarrassed.

"It isn't a crush. It's love. I love R.J."

"Again, since yesterday." Xander said.

"Dawn, that's awfully fast." Buffy spoke softly.

"What? You're telling me I don't feel what I feel?"

"No, of course not. I believe that you think it's real. It seems real… To you." Buffy defended.

"You know what? Maybe I don't want advice from the Dysfunction Queen. You have no idea how I feel. You have no idea what real love is. Maybe if you did, you wouldn't make fun of me this way."

"Dawn, we're not making fun of you."

"Just go. Leave me alone." Dawn fell back down on her bed crying. Buffy and Xander got but and walked out.

Entering Buffy's room Xander fell down on the bed staring at the ceiling before sitting back up. "You were good with her." Buffy said.

"Yeah, real good." Buffy sat next to Xander wrapping her arm around his arm and leaned her head against this shoulder.

"You're gonna be a good father someday." The Slayer whispered. Xander pressed his mouth against Buffy's forehead and smiled.

"God help us if we ever have a daughter and she cries the blues over some boy. I'll kick that boys ass, hellmouth and back." Xander muttered against her hair.

Buffy smiled and titled her head up towards him. "Our daughter?"

"Or son. I'm not picky."

"I love you." Buffy mumbled sleepily. Xander's response was a simple loving kiss.


	34. Chapter 34 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 34**

The following day Buffy entered the main offices coming back from lunch. She spotted Dawn sitting in Principal Wood's office. Buffy knocked opening the door in the process. "Hey, what's going on?"

"Buffy." Robin Wood looked up. "Dawn is here because of an incident that has occurred."

"What? What is he talking about Dawn?"

"Mr. O'Donnell coincidentally fell down the stairs. Here is his account." Buffy moved standing behind Robin looking over his shoulder reading the report.

"It all happened so fast. I mean, one minutes he was walking, and the next he stumbled and then he fell."

"Why would he say you pushed him down the stairs?" Robin lightly interrogated.

"I don't know. Maybe he was just embarrassed. It's hard being clumsy, especially when you're popular and athletic. I'd bet."

"Yeah, well, to be candid it wouldn't be the first time I caught O'Donnell in a lie."

"It'd be nice, if his lies didn't involve my sister, though." Buffy said.

"Anyway, I'm gonna have to call Coach Wheeler and, uh, tell him the bad news. Not a conversation I really want to have."

"At lease you still go R.J to take over." Buffy eyes snapped to her sisters suspiciously.

"Yeah. Well, I think we have everything we need for now. I'm sorry you had to get involved in this, Dawn." Robin apologized. Dawn moved to stand from the chair.

"That's okay. I'm just really sorry it happened." The teenager left the office.

That evening Willow, Tara, Xander, and Buffy decided a good old fashioned Bronzing night was just what they needed. The perfect way to get free themselves from the crap called life for a night. The gang sat at a small table near the dance floor.

Xander sat on the stool handing Buffy and Willow their drinks. Tara watched the people on the dance floor as she played with her straw. Xander noticed the blonde haired boy that caught the younger Summers drastic attention. "Buff." Xander nodded his head gesturing to R.J on the dance floor.

"I think that's the guy." Buffy watched the boy.

"What guy?" Willow sipped her drink.

"The one who, according to Dawn, is the quote smartest, funniest, coolest, hottest, and having the thickest boy eyelashes in school unquote." Buffy mimicked her sisters voice.

"He don't seem so tough." Xander wrapped his arm around Buffy's waist.

"Check out the fan club." Tara observed a girl dancing with R.J closely. Her long light brown hair flowed as she danced with the boy. R.J's hands trailed down the girls sheer tight midriff blouse and hip hugging jeans.

"Daddy like." Xander watched the girl sway against the high school boy. Buffy slapped his arm. "You're still the hottest chick in this place." Xander smiled with a light eye roll.

"What is that shirt made of? Paint?" Buffy surveyed the whore-ish outfit.

"Buff-" Willow eyes widen.

"Glad Dawnie isn't here to see her precious boyfriend getting all thrusty with some slut-bag hussy-" The girls turns around in R.J's arms facing the gang. It's Dawn.

Buffy stared wide eyed, her mouth agape. "Oh." Was all she could say.

"Oh. Oh! No! 'Daddy' - No, I wasn't - When I was looking, I wasn't - Oh, god!" Xander covered his mouth in disbelief.

Willow leaned to Xander. "Right there with ya." Tara giggled.

The gang stared in awe watching Dawn dirty dance. Xander made a gagging noise leaning his forehead against Buffy's shoulder making a weak attempt to hide. Willow and Tara watched the young teen ashamed of this behavior.

When the song finished Buffy stood from the stool following Dawn to the bar. "So, do you have plans later, or are you just gonna go down to the docks and wait for the fleet to come in?" Dawn turned to her sister.

"What?"

Buffy took Dawn by the arm. "Where do I start with the bad? First, you told me you were going to library. Second, you do not go out on a date without informing me first. Third, Anna Nicole Smith thinks you look tacky."

Dawn crossed her arms confidently. "Yeah, well I think I look hot and so does R.J."

"Oh, I bet he does. Maybe I should go have a little word with him." Buffy challenged moving away from Dawn.

Dawn caught her sister's wrist. "No! Don't you dare embarrass me in front of him."

"I don't like this. This boy has you acting crazy."

"It's my life. I'll do what I want to."

"I don't think so."

"Oh. So what - suddenly you're Mom now?"

"No, I'm not. And I am glad she's not here to see you like this."

"Whoa." Xander stepped in between the two sisters. "Let's just calm down. Take a deep breath."

Buffy closed her eyes calming herself for a moment before glancing back at Dawn. "Look, I'm sorry. I just -"

"You just can't handle it."

"What?" Buffy eyed her sister confused.

"You've always been the special one. Hot little Buffy with her boyfriends. The Slayer. And now someone likes me and you just can't stand that I'm getting the attention."

"This is the farthest thing from true."

"No it's not. And I'm sorry, but I like the way R.J makes me feel and if you think that makes me a slut or whatever, I don't care." Dawn turned back to the dance floor.

"Oh, no, no, no. You are not going back out on that dance floor." Buffy ordered sternly. Dawn scoffed grabbing her coat and stormed off.

Buffy and Xander stood at the bar staring down the direction Dawn went down. "You know she kinda reminded me of you."

"What?" Buffy gave him a dangerous look.

"Oh, no, no, no. Not that whole…eek… The dancing and the touching and the attitude with the storming off into the night."

"Oh." Buffy realized what he was referring to. "The time I was Miss Bitch. Yeah, I remember." Buffy looked up at her boyfriend.

"You asked if you have ever thanked me for saving your life."

"You said no." Buffy finished.

"Then you asked if I wished you had."

"Are you trying too tell me something?"

"Let's get the hormonal teen and get home so you can thank me."

"Dirty." Buffy moved on the tips of her toes pressing his lips against his mouth lightly.


	35. Chapter 35 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 35**

Buffy watched over the rim of her cubical wall, as Principal Wood and R.J walked out of Wood's office. Buffy placed her chin her hand listening to the conversation. R.J adjusted the letterman jacket in his arms half listening the principals lecture. The blonde teenagers eyes wondered to Buffy. Wood tilted his head to the side observing the boys hormones go crazy as his eyes gazed at Buffy lustfully. Robin rolled his eyes.

"How 'bout if you try doing your own homework for a change? No more getting these young, impressionable women to do it for you. Avoid detention, R.J. Sound good?"

R.J shrugged uncaring. "Whatever."

"Oh, sweet infectious enthusiasm." Robin Wood walked back into his office closing the door behind him. R.J turned to the exit when Buffy leaned against the edge of the cubical.

"Whoa. Hang on there, slappy. I'm not done with you yet."

"Oh, man. Like it's not bad enough I got that guy riding my back all the time. Now I gotta deal with you, too?" Not that he minded.

Buffy crossed her arms over chest. "Actually, I'm a bit more formidable than Principal Wood. You might come to look fondly on his back-riding."

_Okay, she's not kidding._ "Yeah, but come on -"

"Sit." She pointed down to the chair beside her.

"Hey, I told him I was sorry about the homework."

"Mmm… Not the homework, Mister Wizard. The girls. What you're doing to them. In specific, my sister."

"Hey, I didn't do anything to your sister. And you saw how hot she looked last night. I think that proved that she -"

Buffy turned away horrified holding up her hands blocking out the rest of his sentence. "Aah! No more with the talky. Look, I know how guys like you work. You turn on the charm, you get whatever you want, no matter who gets in your way, right?"

R.J stood defensively. "Okay, look, it's not like that." He pulls on his jacket. "I just -" Buffy pushed him back down onto the chair. "Get along really well with girls."

"Oh, I see how you get along." Buffy began to pace back and forth. "Oh, look at me, I'm Mister Quarterback. I crush little girls and all their feelings. All I have to do is -"

"It's not like I hurt anyone."

"I know." Buffy sympathized sitting on the edge of the table next him. "I know that. It's just - you're a leader, a captain, okay? People look up to you. You need to keep that in mind when you -" Buffy stared at the teens muscular body longingly. "I bet you run a lot, huh?"

R.J smirked. "Yeah, I guess so." He stood in front of the blonde.

"I get that. I do. I'm there. Or, at least I was there when I was still in high school. Which was, just a couple of years ago, really…you know, I'm basically the same age as you. I'm not really older at all, actually…just like you but -" She stood slowly closing the space between them. "With the sexual experience and stuff."

"I think I hear what you're saying." R.J gulped feeling his jeans suddenly became way too tight. The office door opened. Buffy cleared her throat and quickly changed the tone of their conversation.

"Um, right, I'm - I'm really glad that w - we had this talk, so, uh, I think you'd better get back to class."

R.J smirked with a nod. "Okay. Thanks." Buffy stared at him longingly as walked out of the office. A lovesick smile curved the corners of her mouth.

"Oh, my god! I'm the pushy queen of slut town." Dawn looked at her sister horrified.

Buffy and Dawn sat on the couch facing one another. Buffy placed her hand soothingly on Dawn's forearm. "No, honey, honey, not at all. No, no. It's just - you know, lay back a little. Let him come to you."

"I'm just scared that while I'm laying back, some other girl's gonna come and sweep him up."

"But we have inside info. We know he doesn't like to being swept. He likes to be the sweeper. Dawn, you're gonna come out the winner here, with me looking out for you."

"Yeah, I guess so. Thank you." Dawn leaned her head against Buffy's shoulder. Buffy kissed her younger sisters hair and darkly smirked triumphantly. _Score._

The front door opened Xander entered holding two pizza pies. "Hello m'ladies, I come and bring you food." Xander closed the door. He walked to the right into the dining room placing the piazzas on the table. "Hey Tara."

"Hi Xander." Tara smiled continuing to write in her notebook. Xander frowned noticing non of his ladies besides Tara are here to greet him.

"Hm. Buff?"

"In here Xand." Buffy called to her boyfriend. Dawn stood and smiled at the lovable brunette man before rushing towards the pizza on the table. Buffy adjusted her top as she stood. Xander leaned down to kiss her. Buffy turned slightly only letting his lips catch her cheek.

Xander looked at her oddly. _She never does that._ "So, how was school today. Lots and lots, of troubled kids with their err - troubles?"

"Yep. Troubled kids." Buffy smiled at the thought of R.J. _Oh R.J… He's so hot._ The Slayer giggled.

"What are you up to tonight?"

"Sleeping."

"No…" Xander playfully nudged her hip wrapping his arms around her waist.

"No, not tonight." She squirmed out of his arms pushing him away slightly.

"You okay?"

"Yeah I just don't want you all over me, that's all." She spatted. Xander took a step back with his hands in the air defensively.

"Whoa. Sorry Buff."

Buffy closed her eyes suddenly exhausted. "It's fine. Let's just, have dinner." Buffy moved around her confused boyfriend and into the dining room.

R.J sat in Math class mindlessly drawing doodles on the corner of his notebook page. He connected the small gaps between the many different lines on the paper. He rested his chin in his hand studying the outcome and inwardly sighed. _Ms. Summers._

The classroom door abruptly opened. The woman of R.J's many wet dreams bounced into the room. His eyes trailed over her black satin shirt and short schoolgirl looking skirt. "Sorry to interrupt, but we need to see R.J Brooks down in the guidance office." Receiving a nod from the teacher, R.J stood fixing his jacket and followed Buffy out of the classroom.

Standing in the hallway Buffy smiles brightly. "Come." She seductively walked ahead of him knowing his eyes were glued to her bottom. Buffy opened a door to an empty classroom. She stepped to the side letting R.J enter first. The Slayer studied him intently as she closed the door behind her.

"There's no one in here."

"Yeah, there is." She pointed to him. "There's one of you," Her index finger points to herself. "And there's one of me." Buffy's hand gazed his back lightly. "You were the one in math class. Tell me what that adds up to." She moved to a nearby desk sitting on the edge. R.J smiled cooly.

"You know, I've always been fascinated by football. So, what's it like to lead a team?" Buffy asked.

"The thing of it is: the time. Nobody gets how much time goes into it, with practices and games."

"I totally get it. I was kinda juggling some stuff when I was in high school, too - which was also very recent. Principal Snyder was always on me."

"I still say Wood is the worst. I wish somebody'd get him off my back."

"Yeah, that would be cool." Buffy stared at his lips not really listening to their conversation.

"And sometimes, I don't even -" Buffy grabbed him by the collar smashing his mouth against hers kissing him aggressively. He hesitantly pulled back. "You're like a teacher."

"Not really." She eyed him innocently. "But, I mean, does it bother you?" Buffy asked sweetly.

"Not so much." They kissed again passionately, Buffy pulls him closer between her legs, leaning her back down on top of the desk.


	36. Chapter 36 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 36**

Dawn anxiously rushed out of her English class and hastily made her way to R.J's Math class. Memorizing where the boy of her dreams sat almost everyday wasn't there. She frowned moving away from the door before she was noticed.

Feeling her insides twist and turn with R.J's strange disappearance Dawn casually walked down the hallway peeking into every classroom. She came across an empty room. _Maybe he's skipping. _"That is _so_ cool." Dawn smiled to herself peeking into the classroom noticing it wasn't all that empty.

The teen's mouth slowly opened watching her one true love and… "Buffy?" Dawn backed away from the door. Heavy tears forming in her eyes she turned and ran out as fast as she could.

Xander looked up from his construction plans noticing Dawn sitting on the edge of a large planter crying into her hands. He slowly approached the distressed teen. "Dawn? What's wrong? Is this - Did that guy in the jacket -"

Dawn cringed. "Uh! I don't even want to hear his name anymore!"

"I just called him 'that guy in the jacket'."

"That's what I used to call him in my head before I knew his real name!"

"Dawnie, honey, you seem extremely perturbed. Maybe I should go get Buffy -"

"No!" Dawn looked up at Xander from under her wet eyelashes. "I don't ever want to see her again."

"I thought that was about that guy in the - um, that guy with the thing."

"No, its about both of them." Dawn began to cry into her hands again. Xander tilted his head to the side with a perplexed expression.

"Where did you last see her?" Dawn gave him the room number. Xander made his way into the school tracking his girlfriend.

Xander entered the classroom Dawn told him without much thought. "Buffy, I think Dawn needs yo - Ugh!" Xander gasped with wide eyes.

Buffy is on top of a desk straddling a young man's hips in a heavy make-out session. Her blouse top is open revealing her black bra and her bare shoulders. R.J's still fully clothed wearing his jacket. Both completely oblivious to Xander's presence.

"Buff." Xander's voice was stern with a tinge of jealously.

Buffy unlocked her lips from R.J's glancing up to her boyfriend with a smile. "Xander, hi. This is R.J." She cooed sitting up, running her hands down his chest a grind her center over the boys erection.

"Hey, guy. It's called knocking." R.J spatted grazing his hands up Buffy's skirt touching her naked thighs.

Xander's frown deepened. "I'm sorry," He spoke to the teen. "It's just, checkout time was an hour ago. We were hoping to make up the bed. Also, it's a classroom, you chowder-head!" R.J's head fell against the desk. "Now get off the boy, Buffy. We're going home."

Buffy frowned batting her lashes. Xander didn't waver his cross expression. "Now Buffy." He said in a stern voice. Buffy got off R.J with a huff fixing her blouse buttons. Xander scowled taking the Slayer by her arm pulling out of the classroom.

The car ride was silent. Dawn sat in the backseat with her arms crossed glaring at the back of Buffy's head. On the other hand Buffy contently gazed out the window with only one thought. R.J.

Entering the Summers house, Dawn ran up the stairs and into her bedroom slamming the door behind her. Xander was not much different as he followed Buffy into the house slamming the door behind him. "Buffy get in here!" Xander made no action to hide his growing anger as he entered the living room turning to his girlfriend crossing his arms. "Please explain to me, what the fuck you were doing?"

"I was in the process of seducing R.J." The corners of her mouth twitched up into a sly smile.

"What made you do that? He's a kid. And you're further engaged."

"No, I'm not." Xander gave her a questioning look. "I'm not engaged. I rejected you."

"Buffy…" He was ready to pull out his hair.

"What? Xander, I know you've wanted to marry me since high school but I'm in love with R.J. now. You understand right?"

Willow, Tara, and Anya entered the living room hearing yelling voices. "Buffy. Listen, you're under a love spell! Dawn," Xander pointed to the ceiling. "is under a love spell! That's what this has to be."

Buffy sighed. "You're right. Dawn is under a spell. Oh, poor little Dawnie." Buffy pouted with fake sympathy.

Xander glanced to Willow and Anya. "We're working on it. It'll be better soon."

"Yes. Soon neither of you will be in love with this boy." Anya said with an encouraging smile. Dawn stomped down the stairs and into the living room.

"He's not a boy." Buffy lashed at Anya.

"What do you know about our love? It's true and real. This isn't magic. This is my heart." Dawn sobbed.

"Fine." Anya rolled her eyes. Xander scowled following Willow out into the dining room as Buffy and Dawn argued about R.J.

"We need to fix this. Like now." Xander rushed his best friend.

"I got an address. R.J's brother."

Xander took the paper with the address. "Great. I want my girlfriend back." Xander turned away calling out Buffy's name. "Come on."

"We seeing R.J?"

"Something like that." Xander followed his girlfriend out the front door and into the car.

Buffy and Xander got out the car in an argument. "I'm just saying, we're tangling with a powerful spell here." They walk up to a house. "We don't know what the deal is so - so…fine I'll keep an eye out if this guy is looking twitchy…"

"God Xander will you shut up?" Buffy sniped. Xander scowled seriously hating this spell bounded Buffy. He reached for the door bell. After a moment a tall, ungroomed, overweight man inserted the door wearing a pizza delivery uniform. Buffy and Xander stare at the man in disbelief.

"Yeah?" The man asked.


	37. Chapter 37 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 37**

"I told you!" Xander said proudly pointing his finger at Buffy as they walked back to the car.

"What?"

"You're under a spell. That stupid letterman's jacket. I knew it! It's always the jacket. Lance used that thing everyday in high school I should've known." Xander mentally kicked himself as he got back into the car.

When Buffy and Xander arrived back at the house they noticed the front door was wide open. "What the?" Xander neared the door. "Hello?" He stepped into the house. "Will, Ahn, Tara, Dawn? Anyone?" Xander walked into all, of the rooms on the ground level. "Hey Buff, I don't think…" Xander looked outside seeing his SUV gone from the driveway. "Shit." He hit his head against the door.

Buffy drove Xander's SUV very poorly swerving through the lanes and into a parking lot. She parked the car, which took up three spaces. She got out of the SUV and calmly entered the High School unseen.

A couple of minutes later, Buffy exits the High School with a bazooka in hand. She aims it expertly at the Principal but is tackled by Xander. "Hey! What are you guys doing?" Buffy growled.

"Locator spell." Tara said.

"Human variety. Almost done." Willow smiled wearily as Tara poured sand around the lit candle.

"Well, I've got a principal to kill. What's going on? Who are we looking for?" Buffy tilts her head to the side looking at Willow.

"Time to go." Xander dragged his girlfriend and Willow into the SUV.

"You realize that Anya's probably seducing R.J even as we speak." Buffy glanced to the backseat were Willow sat.

"My God. You think so?"

Buffy nodded. "Well, I wouldn't put it past her. She's recently evil, you know. And I did steal her fiancée at the alter."

Willow shrugged. "Well, why should I miss out?"

"I think we should all have a chance." Tara reasoned.

"Hey, crazy chicks - look." Xander points to Dawn walking to a train station. Buffy gets out of the SUV and runs to her sister.

"Dawn? Dawn!"

"Buffy!" Willow calls out.

A train whistles from a distance as it approaches the station. Buffy races to Dawn running along side the track's. The train doesn't slow down. Another train is coming into the station from the opposite direction. Buffy sees Dawn down on the track. The same track the train is approaching. Buffy jumps onto the train besides her climbing the cars.

Dawn notices the train coming closer. She turns her head and clinches her eyes shut waiting. Buffy jumps off the train landing near Dawn. She stands up and grabs Dawn pulling the teenager off the tracks just in time, as the train rolls down the tracks where she laid moments before. Buffy and Dawn stand.

"What were you doing? What is this?" Buffy gripped her younger sisters upper arms.

"It doesn't matter." Dawn wiped her tears away.

"This is the plan? You're gonna steal R.J by being trisected?"

"What am I - gonna compete with you? You're older and hotter and have sex that's rough and kill people. I don't have any of that stuff. But if I did this then his whole life he'd know there was someone that loved him so much they'd give up their life…"

"Dawn…"

"And it would be true forever…"

Buffy tightened her grip. "No guy is worth your life - not ever."

"R.J is. And don't say he isn't. Look what you were willing to do."

"Dawn, I would give him to you in a second if I could." Buffy pushes back her sisters long brown hair behind her shoulders. "That's how much you're scaring me."

"But I - I thought you wanted him…for you."

"Nah. Well, yeah. My God, that boy is hot. Sorry. I think I might be under a spell here."

"I hear ya." Dawn took Buffy's arm walking each other back to Xander's SUV.

"And for the record, sex with Xander isn't rough."

"Ew." Dawn cringed. "Then what is it?"

"Perfect." Buffy blushed at the thought and continued their journey back to Xander, Willow and Tara.

Xander uses the fire poker burning R.J's letterman jacket. "That, my friends, is the smell of sweet, sweet, victory."

"Also, burning cotton-poly blend." Anya said.

"I can't believe you tackled the poor kid for that." Buffy smiled.

"I want all my girls back."

"I'm not your girl Harris." Anya spatted.

"Fair enough." Xander smirked towards Anya.

"Xander, be honest. You didn't, you know, think about slipping that jacket on just a little bit?" Buffy asked. Xander shook his head and sat on the couch next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Why? I have the girl I want, right here." Buffy gave him a knowing look. "It didn't fit." He muttered. Buffy giggled laying her head against his chest.

"He gets this jacket from his brother, who got if from their father, and we'll never know where he got it from." Tara thought aloud.

"Yeah, welcome to the hellmouth, where even outwear isn't safe."

"I can't believe I almost -" Willow and Tara looked at one another.

Buffy sat up from her comfy spot on Xander's chest. "I can't believe I almost-"

"It was a spell…" Anya explained. Buffy moved from Xander across the living room to a brooding Dawnie.

"You hear that? Not your fault." Buffy sat down with her sister.

Dawn sighs. "I'm just so…the way I acted, the way I talked to you. I feel so stupid. All over a spell."

"Get ready to feel even stupider when it's not." Buffy glanced to Xander who was talking with their friends.

"He's a good one." Dawn laid her head on Buffy's shoulder.

"Hey, Anya, you never told us what you can't believe you almost." Willow grinned.

Anya played dumb. "Almost who, now?"

"No, you can't be the only not embarrassed one. What did you do?" Tara asked.

"I, uh, wrote a poem. An epic poem…comparing him to a daisy and a tower and a lake." Anya stuttered. A radio voiced sounded with breaking news.

"Breaking news on Sunnydale's late-night bandit who is still at large. A masked thief held up a number of large businesses-" Anya turned off the radio.

"Okay, great, ice cream. My treat." Anya clapped her hands together retreating out of the house. Willow and Tara shared a look following the blonde woman.

"You coming Dawnie?" Tara looked back. Dawn nodded standing up taking Tara's hand.

Xander moved across the living room holding out his hand to help Buffy to her feet. "I'm sorry." Buffy whispered guiltily.

Xander shrugged. "It was a spell."

"No. About the things I said… I want to get married. I want us to take that step. I just - I don't know because of tonight, I gave you doubts and you changed your mind…" Xander stopped her placing his finger onto her lips.

"Shh, no doubts. No changing of the mind. Buffy Summers, you will be my wife. Someday. Someday soon. Real soon." Buffy smiled moving to the tips of her toes capturing his lips as she took his hand.

"Ice cream time." Buffy pulled her boyfriend along at a gradual pace. _Soon._ She liked the sound of that.


	38. Chapter 38 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 38**

Willow and Tara entered the Summers home holding Andrew, one of the nerdy trio guys from a couple months back. The red pushed him into the living room where Xander, Dawn and Anya were.

"Look who we found. Guess who was buying mass amounts of blood at the butcher's shop." Willow said letting go grip from his jacket collar.

Xander turned from the window he was installing. "Great. Another thing to add to the list." Xander forced Andrew to sit in a chair near him. Dawn handed him the ropes. "Why don't we start with, tells us what you know." Xander tightened the restraints.

"Ow." Andrew winced.

Buffy knelt down next to Spikes head. He laid on the cool concrete shackled to the wall. His eyes were closed. Buffy dipped the small towel in her hand and lightly washed the blood from his face.

"I believe in you, Spike." Buffy whispered.

Spike slowly opened his eyes, staring up at her with hopeful eyes.

Suddenly the lights went out. Someone barged into the basement and pushed Buffy away from Spike. The men kicked her down once-more as they took Spike.

Buffy wiped her eyes from the head-aching blur. She quickly notices Spike's empty shackles.

"Buffy!" Xander and the other raced down to the basement.

Xander slid to her side helping her up. "They were after Spike all along." Buffy couldn't move her sights from the space Spike occupied moments before.

"We'll get him back." Willow said.

"I'm just glad you're okay." Xander hugged her into his chest than cupped his hands over her cheeks examining her unharmed gorgeous face.

"I'm fine." Buffy tried a small weak smile. Xander nodded partially convinced as he lead her up the stairs.

Tara came from the kitchen into the living room with a sweeping broom. Xander stared at the once again, broken window with his hands on his hips thoroughly frustrated.

Buffy sat on the couch next to him ignoring his grunts as she researched. Willow was on her laptop in the dining room with Dawn and Anya who searched through some books that weren't destroyed.

"It's a loop…" Buffy glanced up at him confused. "like the Mummy hand. I'm doomed to replace these windows for all eternity. You know, maybe we should just board these up, until things are less hellmouth-y." Xander sat down waiting for Buffy's response.

"Whatever." She said lost into the book she researched. Xander rolled his eyes with a small smile.

"Nothing…and nothing." Anya said from the living room. "Cliff Notes to nothing. Nothing abridged…"

"Yeah, my search isn't turning anything up either. Buffy?" Dawn shouted from the dining room.

"What?" Buffy answered from the other room.

"Are you sure this thing called itself The First?" Anya asked.

"Pretty sure. It claimed to be the original evil, the one that came before anything else."

Anya snorted a laugh, looking up from her reading glasses. "Please, how many times have I heard that line in my demon days? 'I'm so rotten, they don't even have a word for it. I'm bad. Baddy bad bad bad. Does it make you feel horny?'" Tara and Dawn looked up the ex-demon oddly. "Or terrified. Whatever."

"It wasn't a line." Buffy looked up from her book on her lap to Xander. "When I came up against this thing. I felt it. It was ancient and enormous. It nearly got Angel to kill himself. And if we don't rescue Spike soon, God only knows what the First'll get him to do."

Xander wrapped his arm around her shoulders rubbing his hands up and down her arms. "We'll get to the bottom of it. I promise." Xander kissed her temple.

Buffy chuckled a laugh. "I wish Sleeping Dork would come to. He's been out all night."

Xander hugged her tightly into his chest. Buffy buried her nose into his neck. "He was just a starting to squeal when the spooky SWAT attacked. Said The First was held up at the Seal of… Danzar." He felt Buffy smiled against his skin.

Dawn entered the living room moving to a sleeping Andrew. "Hmm. Maybe he's just faking so he doesn't have to answer any more questions." She punched him in the face.

"Dawn."

"What?" Dawn spun around facing Buffy with an innocent expression.

"He'll come to when he comes to. Keep reading." Dawn pouted going back into the dining room. "Hand me the Watchers' Codex again."

Someone gave her a ratty old book. Buffy looks up grasping the book. "Mom?"

"Can I get you anything else, baby?" Buffy stared at her mother with wide eyes. "How 'bout some tea? I see you and Xander finally set aside your differences. I've always liked him. Always knew you two one day would-"

"You're not real." Buffy closed her eyes with sigh.

Joyce kneeled down in front of Buffy. "Okay, is that, us, slang, like you're not for real-?"

"You're The First."Buffy stares into Joyce's eyes.

"Oh, baby, you're so tired, you're not making sense. Maybe you should get some sleep."

"No."

"You can't win against this thing. Not if you don't rest. Get Xander to tuck you in. I know you sleep better that way."

Buffy shook her head trying desperately not to follow her mothers wishes. "Stop. Stop being like this. It's a lie."

"I don't want to scare you, but I want you to take care of yourself. You need to wake up."

"What?" Buffy titled her heat to the side.

"You're dreaming. Buff, wake up." Xander shook her arm softly. Buffy sat up from the arm rest she fell asleep on. The book still on her lap.

"Hm? Did you see it?" She looked around.

"There's nothing to see, baby. You were just doing a little dream talking, that's all."

"Oh."

Xander observed her for a moment. Brushing his fingers down the side of her cheek. "You okay? What did you see?"

"Nothing. It was nothing."


	39. Chapter 39 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 39**

Hours passed since the Bringers surprise appearance. Buffy stood in the foyer watching Tara enter the dining room with a couple candles and Willow across from her lighting them. Dawn and Anya kept her nose in the books. Documents, books, papers were all scattered around the table.

Xander came up from behind, wrapping his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder. "How's it going?"

"Dawn's trying to find out anything she can about the Seal of Danzalthar. Will's about to do a locator spell, see if we can find The First." She covered her mouth with her hand as she yawned.

"Why don't you get some rest. You haven't slept for like two days. We'll call you if we find anything."

Buffy moved out from his arms. "Nah, I - I couldn't sleep. Too much going on."

"It'll be okay, Buff. We've faced this kind of stuff before."

"You didn't see The First. I did. I felt it. It was like-"

In the dining room a magical explosion sends Anya back against the wall. The bowl in front of Willow turns red. Dawn jumped back from the table, crawling away to hide. The red light surrounds Willow then enters her body through her nostrils. She threw her head back and a demonic apparition escapes her mouth, lunging towards the Slayer.

"Will!" Buffy moved to her friend.

The demon went back inside Willow, and she stood, sending a red lightening bolt from her mouth aiming at Buffy. Knocking her to the ground, sending her flying across the floor back into the foyer.

Willow said with a deep possessed voice. "You only make me stronger!"

Xander grabbed the glowing bowl from the spell, and threw it against the wall. The light disappears. Willow collapses. Xander moves to check on Anya and Dawn. Buffy kneels at Willow's side holding her head on her lap.

"It's still in me. I feel it!"

"No, it's gone. You're okay." Tara rushed to her girlfriends side.

"I don't want to hurt anybody. Please, Buffy, don't let it make me." She begged, crying in her lap. Tara took Willow's head from Buffy's hands letting her stand."

"We won't. I promise, okay? I promise. We won't use magic to fight this thing until we know what we're going."

Willow sniffled and shook her head in response.

Buffy moved around the living room placing her stake in her back pocket. Anya and Dawn sat on the couch silently watching Buffy in full business mode racing around the living room and Xander hot on her heels following her. Tara and Willow hid themselves in the other room.

"At least let me come with you." Xander said.

"I'm going alone." Buffy said as she stepped into the foyer taking her coat off the hook.

"You it said yourself, you don't know how to fight The First, or even where it is."

Buffy closed her eyes than turned to her worried boyfriend. "It's out there." Her voice was smooth. She caught Tara and Willow peering from the corner in the living room. "It's hurting my friends. I'll find it." Buffy turned away from him opening the door to leave. She stops short noticing Giles standing on the front porch with his hands in his pockets.

"Buffy." The Watcher said.

"Giles." Buffy goes to hug him but is cut off when three girls she's never seen walk right into her house.

A British girl with a cockney accent turned to Buffy. "Nice place. Bit of a mess." She walks deeper into the home.

A brunette girl eyes Buffy up and down almost challengingly. "This is the Slayer?" She sighs turning around to see Xander staring at Giles completely confused.

"Sorry to barge in. We have a slight apocalypse." Giles showed a bit of sympathy for the young woman before him.


	40. Chapter 40 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 40**

Dawn stood in front of the three girls Giles brought with him. The girls lined up against the wall as they waited for Dawn's intense inspection to be completed.

"They're all Slayers?" Dawn turned to Giles who leaned against the fireplace bannister.

"Potential Slayers. Waiting for one to be called. There were many more like them all over the world, but, now there's just a handful, and they're all on their way to Sunnydale."

"The others were murdered." Buffy remembered her dreams from over the weeks. She glanced to Xander, he nodded his head knowingly.

"In cold blood. As well as their Watchers. We always feared that this day would come, when there'd be an attack against not just an individual Slayer, but against the whole line." Giles explained shifted from one foot to the other.

"The First. That's what it wants." Buffy crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yes, to erase all the Slayers in training and their Watchers along with their methods."

"And then Faith, and then me. And with all the Potentials gone and no way of making another, it's the end. No more Slayer."

Xander scowled not liking where any if this was going. Not only is The First threatening innocent girls and people but his girlfriend. Xander huffed crossing his arms over his chest.

"W-we haven't found any i-information of The First. N-no documentation-" Tara said looking at Giles.

"That's because it predates any written history, and it rarely shows its true face. The only record I know was in the Council Library."

"What about the Council? What do they say about this?" Buffy asked.

"Gone." Buffy stared at him in shock.

Willow stood from the couch. "What?"

"Obliterated. They were in session, and, uh, there was an explosion."

"That means all the Council's records are-are destroyed?" Dawn asked.

"Annabelle." The British girl unzipped her messenger back taking out multiple folders and placed them in front of Dawn and Anya. "The mystic secrets of the Watchers. And whatever I could find on The First. When I learned what was happening, I-I, um, I stole them."

"And you blew the Council up!" Anya smiled. "See, this is what happens when you're all stuffy and repressed. You overreact."

Giles frowned insulted. "Not - I didn't."

"But what do these records say about The First?" Xander asked looking over Buffy's shoulder at the document she held.

"Uh, very little. It can change form. Uh, it only appears in the disguise of someone who's passed away." Giles informed.

"Our ghosts." Willow eyed the Slayer.

"It's not corneal. It can't touch or fight on it's own. Only works through those it manipulates. And its followers, the Bringers."

"Those freaks in the black robes." The burette girl said bitterly.

"Yeah, with the huddles and the crazy alphabet eyes. I never saw 'em, I just heard-"

"Shh! Molly, Mister Giles doesn't need us prattling on." Annabelle scolded.

The brunette girl stepped forward from the wall. "If this thing is the root of all evil, isn't the hellmouth it's number one vacation spot? I mean, don't you thing we should be hiding our asses on the other side of the globe?"

"Kennedy!" Annabelle glanced to Kennedy.

"No, she's not wrong. We need more muscle." Buffy glanced to Xander. "That's why we need to find Spike."

"Yeah, he'll help. You know, if he's not crazy or off killing people or dead. Or, you, all, of the above." Anya tried a joke, but the room stared at her in bewilderment.

Buffy and Xander walked hand in hand down the street past the closed Expresso Pump and a now closed for good Magic Shop.

"This place is where you originally saw The First? In a Christmas tree lot?" Xander asked looking down to her.

"Under it." She tried not to smile at his obvious amusement. "There was a hidden cavern. Just happened to be under a tree lot. The Bringers were doing some kind of ritual." After a moment of silence Buffy looked up at Xander with worry in her eyes. "Xander, this is bad, isn't it? A new kind of bad."

"Just in time for Christmas." Xander gave her a lopsided smile.

Buffy looked around. "You know, I didn't even realize it was December. Maybe when we get home, we should decorate the rubble."

"Sounds like a plan." Buffy rested her head against his arm as they walked down the quiet Sunnydale main street.

Buffy and Xander walked into the empty Christmas tree lot. Lights are strung, but the trees were no longer there. "So the entrance to the cave is above ground here?" Xander pointed.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was around here somewhere." Buffy crouched down.

"Well, we'll just-" Buffy suddenly fell through the broken wood.

"Aah!" Xander turned to see a giant hole in the ground. "Found it!" Buffy called up to Xander.

"Are you all right?"

"Peachy, expect my knees bend backwards now and it ripped my new jeans." Xander could hear the pout in her voice. "Xand, stay up there. I'm gonna check it out."

"Right." Xander didn't move from his spot waiting for any sign of Buffy needing his help.

Buffy walked further into the cave. She looks around carefully but passed something unseen by her as she examined the cave.

A low growl echoed behind her. Buffy turned to see no one behind her. She looked back, an UberVamp hissed in her face taking, the opportunity to punch her. She flew back against the wall. The UberVamp vampire doesn't stop and followed up with kicks and punches as Buffy struggled to her feet. Buffy kicked him scrambling to her feet retreating.

The UberVamp vampire took her by the shoulder. Buffy turned the fight around, she threw in offensive moves but the vampire was able to block them. He punched her sending to the ground again. Buffy gets to her feet before the UberVamp stalked over. She reached into her back pocket taking out her stake.

When he finally came she staked him into the heart. He growled and looked down at the stake and back to Buffy. He slowly took out the stake throwing it to the ground.

Buffy stared at the vampire in utter shock and she backed away from the vampire suddenly fearing for her life. The UberVamp threw a punch the Slayer's chin. Buffy jumps up ripping off a stalactite from the cave ceiling and bashes the vampires head.

She ran off when the vampire went down to the opening where Xander waited.

"Buffy!" Xander held out his hand.

Buffy climbed-up the cave wall grabbing his hand. She was almost out when the UberVamp grabbed hear ankle pulling her back down. Xander pulled her arms with all of his strength as Buffy tried to shake her ankle free from the vampires grasp.

Xander finally got a good hold on her and pulled her completely out of the cave, she fell into his between his legs. The UberVamp gripped the dirt climbing out of the hole but sees the red-orange sun rays in the distances. He retreats back into the cave.

Buffy panted weakly holding Xander's arms that were around her protectively as she stared at the hole.

Xander opened the back door letting Buffy enter the kitchen first. "…the others just yet. It'll give us a chance to-" Buffy stopped noticing the three Slayers, Dawn, and Giles standing near the counter island eating breakfast.

"Sorry about the British invasion." Kennedy said eating her cereal.

"We've been up for hours." Molly fixed her jelly and toast.

"Four P.M. London time." Annabelle took a sip from her mug.

Kennedy observed Buffy's beaten look. "Are you all right? You look…"

Xander closed the door as Buffy took a seat on one of the stools. "Oh. Yeah, I'm okay. I just got into a fight is all." She looked at Xander. "You want to tell me with what?" Xander helped her take off her coat.

"Buffy, don't you think we should, uh, talk about this in private? You with the Scooby gang?"

"You mean, not in front of the next generation? No time to coddle them, Xand. Welcome to the war room, guys." Buffy glanced back towards the girls and watched as Annabelle pulled out a notepad.

"What did you fight, exactly?" Giles asked taking a sip from his tea.

"A vampire… I think." Buffy's face twisted into a question mark.

"A big, scary, UberVamp kind of vampire." Xander waved his hands.

Giles took off his glasses pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers. "Turok-Han vampire."

"Turkey-Ham what?" Buffy asked.

"Turok-Han." Giles corrected fighting the urge to smile. After all this time it still amused him when Buffy incorrectly pronounced things wrong. It reminded him of the girl he met years before. "Neanderthals are to human beings, the Turok-Han are to vampires. Primordial, ferociously powerful killing machines, as single-minded as animals. They are vampires that vampires fear. An ancient and entirely different race and, until this morning, thought to be a myth."

"So, The First shows, and now this?" Xander asked.

"You think it's a coincidence?" Buffy played with her fingers under the table waiting for Giles' response.

"I think it's more likely that the Turok-Han is here as an agent of The First."

Annabelle lowered her notepad. "Um, did you slay it?"

Buffy glanced to Xander than down at the table. "No." She looked up at Annabelle. "It's still out there, somewhere."

"What's it want?" Molly asked nervously.

"All of us dead." Buffy said flatly. "But for now it looks like sunlight is keeping the UberVamp away."

"Until sunset." Giles chimed.

"You should get some rest. A couple hours of sleep will do wonders." Xander touched Buffy's shoulder lightly. Buffy shook her head removing herself from Xander's tempting suggestion.

"No sleep today. Can't."

"Come on, Buff, you're exhausted."

"It comes with the gig. Somehow I don't think taking on prehistoric evil comes with nap time." She saw the protest rising in Xander, Buffy quickly turned to the potentials. "Sorry, potential guys. I know you came a long way, and you wanna get into it, but the best thing you can do right now is just sit tight, wait it out." Buffy glanced up to Xander placing her hand on his forearm. "I'm gonna go to work, see what I can find out. I'll be back before sunset."

"How do you plan to research something ill-defined as The First?" Giles asked placing his glasses back on.

"I have the best plan ever." Buffy huffed leaving the kitchen.

Xander watched Buffy leave absolutely not liking this 'best ever' plan. He placed his hands on his hips frustrated. "I don't like this Giles."

"No, no. No one does. But we can't do much without the Slayer."

"I'm gonna…go to the site." Xander left the others in the kitchen taking his hardhat off and briefcase off the small table next to the door and left the Summers home.


	41. Chapter 41 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 41**

The school bell rang, Buffy winced at the high pitch sound as she entered the woman's restroom. She stared at herself in the mirror, turning on the faucet. She bent down splashing the warm water over her face. The makeup she covered her cuts washed away.

Buffy raised her left hand lightly touching the around deep reddish sore on her forehead. She then, carefully unzipped the arm of her blazer revealing a large gash and dark bruises. "Ow. Oh. Ah." She winced.

A hand touched her arm lightly. "Buffy, what happened?" Buffy looked up recognizing her mothers voice. Joyce stood next to her in the bathroom at her house.

"Uh, oh, it's okay, Mom."

"I tried to warn you, but-right. The last thing you need now is one of helpful Mom's guilt trips. I'll get you some ice"

Buffy turned from the mirror facing her mother stopping her. "No. Mom, I-I can't."

"Buffy, you have to heal."

"I don't have time."

"Are you worried about the sun going down? Because there's some things you can't control. The sun always goes down, the sun always comes up."

"Everyone's counting on me." Buffy said in a small voice.

"Well, they do that, and I'm sorry Buffy, but these friends of yours put too much pressure on you. They always have. Xander included."

"Something evil is coming."

"Buffy, evil isn't coming, it's already here. Evil is always here. Don't you know? It's everywhere."

"And I have to stop it."

"How are you gonna do that? You haven't rested."

"I-I don't know yet, but-"

"Buffy, no matter what your friends expect of you, evil is a part of us. All of us. It's natural. And no one can stop that. No one can stop nature, not even-"

* * *

><p>The school bell rang waking Buffy who laid her head in her hand. There's a student sitting in the chair in front of her. His arms were crossed, he stared at her angrily.<p>

"Oh, um, I'm sorry. What were we talking about?"

"Only my life. You're just like all the others." The boy stood.

"No. No, no, no. I'm different. I'm hip. I relate to the young people." She stands stopping the boy. "No, don't go, uh, uh…"

"Roger." The boy spatted bitterly leaving the office.

"Roger. See? I knew that!" Buffy stood trying to stop Roger from leaving but he was already gone. "Shit…" Buffy mumbled sitting down with her hands on her head.

In the principal office. Principal Wood watched the Slayer through his office window, unseen by the woman. He turned away closing the blinds.

* * *

><p>Xander glanced down at his watch for the thousandth time in two hours. He called his day at the site short and immediately went back home taking the hammer from his tool belt and nails to fix the front window.<p>

"Day's almost over." Giles looked at his watch. His eyes went back to Xander.

"Seventeen minutes until the sun goes down." Xander turned away from the window. He stood in front of the potentials. "Hey, junior Slayers, don't look so worried. I mean, sure, we don't know where Spike is, or how to fight The First, or if and when the super style vampire is gonna attack us all. However, house-" He pointed his hammer to the boarded window. "boarded up. No all we gotta do is trap the UberVamp in a pantry, and it's game over."

"Xander, newbies. Let's ease them into the whole 'jokes in the face of death' thing." Buffy said entering the living room with Willow and Tara following behind.

"Who's joking? That pantry thing could work." Xander winked with a smile. "Are you saying M. Night Shamalayan lied to us?"

Tara snorted a chuckled and looked at the girls. "You'll be okay." Willow gave Xander a cross expression.

"It's like our guarantee." Tara gave them a crooked smile.

"Um, Buffy," Buffy looked at Willow. "I just, I want you to know that I'm really sorry for letting you down. You know, here before with the magic going ah and going all eeee and everything getting all rrrr. I wish I could've been more helpful."

"No one expects you to make everything right."

"I - we," Willow pointed between herself and Tara. "have so much power. We can at least do something."

"No. No magic yet."

"Okay. But, you need help, Buffy. I know you, and I know you'll never admit it, but you need help."

Buffy shrugged. "I'll be okay. Okay, or better. It's like my guarantee."

"Buff."

"Xander. I'm fine."

Kennedy moved to Buffy, Willow and Tara. "Hey, are we getting weapons? Trained fighters? Patton is coming? I've heard worse ideas."

"We'll be armed when the Slayer feels we're ready." Annabelle argued with the brunette.

Kennedy rolled her eyes turning to Annabelle. "You know what would help with that?" Back to Buffy. "Weapons."

"Uh, I don't know about that-"

"We're sitting ducks without them."

"We're with the Slayer. Safe as houses." Annabelle pointed to Buffy.

Kennedy stared at the Brit unconvinced. "Do you see the house we're in?"

"It'll come straight for us, won't it?"

"We should load them up, Giles." Giles moved to the weapons chest with Dawn at his side.

* * *

><p>Buffy stood in the dining room, her arms crossed over her chest staring out the window. Xander stepped to her side. Following her gaze to the sunset between the neighborhood houses. "How're we doing on time?" Buffy kept her eyes on the red-orange sky.<p>

"It's sunset. We've done everything we can." Xander looked down at Buffy, her eyes still fixed to the sunset. "Don't worry. Everyone understands that you're calling the shots."

"I just…hope, I'm calling the right ones."

"You have my faith." Xander touched her cheek drawing her focus to him. "They're depending on you."

Buffy stared at him with glass eyes. "That's not exactly what I needed to hear right now."

"Reality sucks." Buffy gave him a weak smile.

Molly entered the room in a panic. "Guys? Annabelle split."

Buffy and Xander broke apart and moved into the foyer. "I'll look for her. Stay here."

"Buffy, I don't like this." He said as she reached for her black coat.

"It's done." With that Buffy left the house on a mission.

* * *

><p>After a moment, Xander looked at Willow and Giles, he reached for his coat as he opened the front door to run after Buffy. Giles turned to Anya, Tara and Dawn. "Watch the others." He and Willow followed Xander out the door.<p> 


	42. Chapter 42 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 42**

Buffy cautiously walked the streets, ending up at an industrial manufacturing complex. She moved passed a dumpster and see's a body on the ground. Buffy stood over Annabelle's head staring down at her, trying to process the situation.

She turned hearing a low growl from behind the UberVamp punched the Slayer down near the dead body. Buffy crawled away to the dumpster. She stands kicking the vampire. The UberVamp ducked punching her across her cheek. Buffy fell to her stomach. He picked her up by the neck choking her. She spat blood onto his face, startling him. Buffy took advantage of the moment to escape. The UberVamp watched as he wiped the blood from his face and sucked his finger into his mouth. He growled taking off after her.

The UberVamp followed his prey into a building under construction. It's quite. Buffy surprised the vampire with a hit in the face with a metal pipe. The vampire caught the next swinging pipe, ripping it from her hands. He punched her sending her flying against a mental pole. Buffy spotted a quick diversion as she kicked a leverage of a pallet of metal beams in the air. She hid her face as it crashed down over the UberVamp.

Buffy got up and struggled reach the exit. She stops when sounds of movements from the pipes reached her ears. She slowly turns with wide eyes as the UberVamp emerges from the pallet of pipes. He reached her in no time taking from behind and shoved her into the cement wall. She stepped back, still standing as the vampire crawled up the wall gaining momentum and height to kick her face to the ground. The vampire grabbed her by the arms and threw into a concrete block wall. The wall crumbles down, the roof caved in over head on top of her.

* * *

><p>Xander heard a crash, he glanced back to Giles and Willow and raced after it.<p>

They stopped, Willow squinted her eyes recognizing Buffy's black boots sticking out from under the rubble. "Xander." Xander followed her point.

"Buffy!" He sprinted to her. Stood at the rubble, Xander bent down lifting a part of a metal roof that fallen on top of his Slayer. He lost his breath seeing Buffy on the ground surrounded in a pile of rubble, her face badly beaten, blood everywhere. "Oh, God almighty."

Giles and Willow slowly move some of the rubble away from Buffy's head giving Xander access to pick her up.

Xander held Buffy, he pressed his lips to her forehead uncaring of the blood stains. "I got you. You're okay baby. You're okay…" He whispered kissing her forehead.

* * *

><p>"Mmm…" Buffy groaned as she stirred in Xander's arms. Giles and Willow following closely behind. "Xander?" Her voice whispered painfully.<p>

"We're almost home." Xander could see the house in the distance as he sprinted to the dim lit home.

* * *

><p>Tara opened the door seeing Xander with Buffy in his arms running to the porch. Xander ran into the house and started for the stairs. "Buffy!" Dawn cried as she only saw the strands of her sisters blood matted hair as Xander went up the steps.<p>

Xander entered their room and moved her into the bathroom, placing her on toilet seat cover. "Xander?"

"Yeah, baby?" Xander kneeled to her level touching the less blood stained side of her face.

"Ow."

Xander couldn't help up smile. "You were thrown into a wall and all you say is, ow?"

She looked at him without a smile. Xander understood. He stood moving to the sink taking a small towel placing it under warm water. He nursed her wounds, cleaning them. As he softly wiped the blood from her right cheek. "You're gonna be bruised for a couple of days. A black eye is forming pretty decently." Xander placed the damp towel on his knee and gently grazed the pad of his left thumb down her cheek. "I should've been there with you."

"You would have been killed." She looked at him. "Look at me. And I'm the Slayer."

"Can you stand, okay?"

Buffy nodded letting him take her hand, helping her to her feet. Xander guided his girlfriend back into their room.

"I'm gonna to change."

"You want me to help you?" Xander went to her dresser drawer pulling out black thin zip-up sweatshirt.

"I just, want to be alone."

"Okay." Xander handed her the sweatshirt. "I'll be down stairs." He leaned down consciously pressing his lips against her blonde hair before leaving her in the bedroom by herself.

* * *

><p>After endless minutes of struggling on the zip-up sweatshirt, Buffy sat in a chair near the window. Her legs curled up against her chest, staring at the empty wall. With her superpowers she could hear the conversation downstairs.<p>

_"We could make plans as we always do, but the truth is, Buffy was our plan. There is no back up." _Buffy recognized Giles' voice.

_"Giles, she looks bad." Willow said._

_"She does. I'm afraid there may be internal bleeding."_

_"What does that mean?" Tara asked._

_"Will she-" Willow struggled to finish her question._

_"Die? I don't think so. I don't know."_

_"What do we do if she can't fight, if she can't beat this thing?" Willow asked._

Buffy has heard enough of their doubts in her. She stood, wincing with every small movement as she slowly reached the cracked open door.

* * *

><p>In the dining room Giles is pacing. The Potentials along with Dawn, Anya and Tara are sitting around the table. Willow and Xander stood against the wall.<p>

"We're back to square one." Giles took off his glasses.

"Which square would that be exactly?" Xander asked.

"I'm not sure. The First predates everything we've ever known, or can know. It's everywhere. It's pure. I don't know if we can fight it." Giles placed his glasses back on flustered.

Buffy stood at the dining room entry, Xander straightened up from leaning against the wall noticing her. The gang turned unaware that she has been listening to their fears.

"You're right." She said with a solemn voice looking at Giles than around the room. "We don't know how to fight it. We don't know when it'll come. We can't run, can't hide, can't pretend it's not the end, 'cause it is. Something's always been there to try, and destroy the world. We've beaten them back, but we're not dealing with them anymore. We're dealing with the reason they exist. Evil. The strongest. The First."

"Buffy, I know your tried." Xander took a tentative step towards her.

"I'm beyond tired. I'm beyond scared. I'm standing on the mouth of hell, and it is gonna swallow me whole. And it'll choke on me." Buffy straighten her beaten body appearing strong and determined.

It reminded Xander of the hours before the showdown fight with Glory, when Buffy vowed that she would protect her sister. It chilled him to the bone then as it does now.

"We're not ready." She continued. "They're not ready. They think we're gonna wait for the end to come, like we always do. I'm done waiting. They want an apocalypse? We'll give 'em one. Anyone else who wants to run, do it now." Buffy glanced around the room for a moment.

"'Cause we just became an army. We just declared war. From now on, we won't just face our worst fears, we will seek them out. We will find them, and cut out their hearts one by one, until The First show itself for what it really is. And I'll kill it myself." Pause.

"There is only one thing on this earth more powerful than evil, and that's us." A sudden sense of pride captivated the room. "Any questions?"


	43. Chapter 43 Prospects Of The Visions

**Chapter 43**

**Two Days Later**

Buffy walked to the bus stop, finally feeling like she hand't had the crap kicked out of her. Giles sent her on a small mission: Get Potential from Sunnydale Station.

Easy enough.

She glanced down at her watch seeing she had five minutes to get her before anyone else does. Buffy sighed and began to run.

Bus fourteen opens its door. "Sunnydale. Watch your step. Next stop…" The driver said as a young African-American girl exited the bus carrying her backpack on one shoulder. She looked around uncertain. Not having a good feeling the girl runs to the pay phone searching the phone book. She scanned her finger down the phonebook names trying to find the Summers name after a moment she realizes the page has been ripped out.

Fear shivered through her body as she slowly looks up to see a black-robed, hooded man, the Bringer approached her. The girl dropped the phonebook turning to escape when she sees two other Bringers standing holding their knives in their hands.

The two Bringers stood near the buses suddenly tossed in the air away from the girl. Buffy stood behind them. The Bringer near the girl runs to attack the Slayer. Buffy grabbed his hands and stabs other attacking Bringer. The Bringer falls back in pain, Buffy kicks him dead. Buffy continues to fight the Bringers attacking her. She wrapped her arms around his neck breaking it.

Buffy looked up to see a Bringer escaping. "Hey!" She called out. "Try picking on someone my own size." She throws the knife at the fleeing Bringer, stabbing his back.

Buffy walked up to the girl who is now cowering on the ground behind a bench. "Rona, right" The girl nods. "I just got word you were arriving." Buffy offers her hand helping her up.

"You're her!"

"Her is me."

"You know," She paused still out of breath. "I thought, uh-they told me I'd be safe here."

"Right. Well, you are. I mean, you will be…safer…with me around."

"That's good."

"Next time you're attacked-"

Rona's eyes went wide in a panic. "Whoa, whoa-next time? You're saying I'm gonna get attacked again?"

"Welcome to the Hellmouth." They calmly walked out the bus station. "So where in New York are you from?"

Rona gave the Slayer a strange look.

* * *

><p>In the living room in the early morning, the Potential Slayers had yet another sleepless night. Molly sat in the chair telling the tragic story of Annabelle only nights before.<p>

"Great, so the Slayer who's supposed to protect us let her get killed."

"She didn't let her." Molly argued. "Annabelle was foolish. Buffy can't be faulted by arriving too late."

Xander tried to ignore the Potential girls rattling on about Annabelle and Buffy. He very much regretted not going to sleep or attempting to sleep up in his room. Xander needed to be here to wait for Buffy.

God, he hated when she would go off on her own, even if she has full capability. It still worried him.

"Maybe-"

"Maybe we can save the maybes for a more day-ish part of the day, girls." Xander said frustrated. "Potential Slayers can function without sleep. Me, I'm no good without my usual ninety minutes."

"I'm with him." Andrew said across the room, tied to the chair facing the wall. "Keep the chatter down! Or, speak up so I can hear you." He sighed. "I'm bored. Episode I bored."

The front door opened. Xander shot up, standing, waiting to greet Buffy and the new Potential. "You guys are still up?" Buffy asked looking around the room.

"Ah! Who needs sleep?" Xander faked a smile. Buffy gave him a knowing look.

"Everybody, this is Rona." Buffy gestured to the girl beside her.

"Hi, Rona." The room greeted.

"Hey, Rona." Xander smiled.

Rona crossed her arms surveying the room she points to Andrew who is tied to the chair. "Um…why is that guy tied to a chair?"

"The question you'll soon be asking is, 'Why isn't he gagged?'" Xander smirked watching a small smile twitch on the corners of Buffy's lips.

Giles and Anya entered the room greeting Rona.

Giles turned from the girls to Buffy. "Everything all right?"

"She had a welcoming committee."

"So, The First knows Potential Slayers are making their way here?"

"I must warn the coven to be cautious." Giles turned to the dining room.

"I'm gonna go…up stairs for a sec." Buffy turned from the living room to the stairs. Xander followed her up.

* * *

><p>Xander opened the closed bedroom door to see Buffy sitting on the bed with her hands folded in between her legs. Xander leaned against the door frame watching her for a moment, waiting patiently for her to speak.<p>

"The First's always gonna be one step ahead of us. I need to know how to stop it." Her glance shifted from the floor to Xander. "No, not stop it, hurt it. I want to hurt it real bad. I need someone to tell me how." Beat. "Tell me how."

Xander couldn't resist a smile appearing on his lips. He kneeled down to eye level with his girlfriend, taking her small hands into his. "I don't know how. Giles is using every source he could muster. All we have is the Watcher's records to go on."

That was not what Buffy wanted to hear. "What about the Turok-Han?"

"The vampire time forgot?" He lightly joked.

Buffy didn't smile. "Time may have forgotten him, but I sure won't. We know stakes don't kill it, but anything in those ancient books about what does? Sunlight, fire…germs?"

Xander smiled leaning up, pressing his lips against her nose.

"And how will I be able to help Spike? With guarding of the entrance…"

"Buffy…"

"And I don't know any of the girl's names. I called Eve, Chloe and Molly, Eve. Xander, I don't-"

"Shh…" Xander cupped her cheeks with his hands. "Calm down. One thing at a time. You'll get this thing. We'll rescue Spike. You'll use those superpowers and kill that bastard UberVamp. I'll print the girls some name tags. Buffy, nobody expects you to do everything."

"But they do." Her voice was a whisper and vulnerable.

"I don't. You're human. We can only expect so much from you." He brushed his thumbs against her cheekbones. "You know, you can depend on me. I'll be there for you."

Buffy laced her fingers through his dark shaggy hair. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Best boyfriend ever."

"I need a plaque, that says, 'XANDER HARRIS. BEST BOYFRIEND, EVER.'"

"Check. One plaque for Xander coming up." She leaned down capturing his lips in a small kiss.

* * *

><p>Buffy and Xander reconvened in the dining room, Buffy watched as Xander untied the ropes around Andrew's wrists.<p>

"Ow! Watch it! That's my joystick hand." Andrew cried.

Buffy fought the urge to laugh, so instead she pinched her cheeks and crossed her arms standing in front of the boy. "Okay, listen up, Andrew. I don't exactly know what to do with you, except that we don't have time to babysit a hostage."

Xander stood behind Buffy. "Especially a hostage that's gotten more than a little ripe." Buffy cringed her face stepping back from Andrew.

"So, I'm here to tell you, if you try anything, try to run-did you ever see the movie Misery?"

"Six times." Andrew chuckled nervously. "But the book was scarier than the movie 'cause instead of crushing his foot with a sledge hammer, Kathy Bates chops it off with-" Andrew notices Buffy's dangerous glare, he gulps. "I'll be good."

Tara entered the dining room holding a sticky note in her hand. "Buffy-word from the underground. A-another potential arrived in town the day before yesterday. S-she's at the Sun Spot Motel, near the highway."

"The day before yesterday?" Xander glanced down to Buffy. "Why are we just finding out about it now?"

"B-Bringers killed her Watcher b-before he could tell anyone h-he sent her. If it w-wasn't for a powerful seer in the c-coven, we wouldn't have known about it n-now."

"Okay, thank you Tara." Buffy gazed out the window up at the sky. "There's still a couple of hours of daylight left. You guys should be safe here. I'll get her and bring her back." Buffy turned to leave grabbing her coat off the hook.

"I'll go with you." Xander followed her taking his coat and grabbing his car keys.

"All right, retrieving a Potential. Let's do it!" Buffy and Xander turn glaring at the boy. His smile disappeared. "Or I could just go wash up."

Buffy looked up at Xander who rolled his eyes, opening the front door for them both. They left Andrew standing in the foyer, pouting.


End file.
